Donald Trump has cancelled a planned visit to the UK in February, where he had been expected to open a new $1bn US embassy in London, the BBC reports.
In a tweet, the US president said he was not a “big fan” of the new embassy – which is moving from Mayfair to south London – saying it was a “bad deal”.
Reason I canceled my trip to London is that I am not a big fan of the Obama Administration having sold perhaps the best located and finest embassy in London for “peanuts,” only to build a new one in an off location for 1.2 billion dollars. Bad deal. Wanted me to cut ribbon-NO!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 12, 2018
He said the old site was sold by Barack Obama’s administration for “peanuts”.
The trip was not the controversial full state visit offered by Theresa May, for which no date has yet been set.
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan – who has clashed with the president in the past – said the US president had “got the message” that many Londoners were staunchly opposed to his policies and actions.
The US embassy move was confirmed in October 2008, when President George W Bush was still in the White House.
However, Mr Trump blamed former president Mr Obama’s administration for selling “perhaps the best located and finest embassy in London for peanuts”.
Mr Trump also criticised the location of the new building in Vauxhall, south London, as an “off location”, adding: “Wanted me to cut ribbon-NO!”
