12 January 2018 - Donald Trump Cancels Visit to the UK
Donald Trump cancels February visit to UK
(BBC News, 12/01/2018)
Donald Trump has cancelled a planned visit to the UK in February, where he had been expected to open a new $1bn (£738m) US embassy in London.
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".
The old site was sold by Barack Obama's administration for "peanuts", he added.
Read on...
______________________________
US Embassy
Donald Trump blames Barack Obama for cancelling trip to open new US embassy in Britain
Caroline Mortimer (The Independent, 12/10/2018)
Donald Trump has confirmed he will not come to the UK to open the new US embassy next month, blaming the Obama administration's decision to move it to an "off location" in a "bad deal".
Reports last night had said the president would not be attending because he was concerned about a hostile reception, a lack of "bells and whistles" and the fact he would not be able to meet the Queen.
Mr Trump then tweeted this morning to confirm he would indeed not be gracing the opening with his presence, and offered an explanation for his decision.
Read on...
______________________________
State Visit
Donald Trump calls off visit to London amid fears of mass protests
Heather Stewart and David Smith (The Guardian, 12/01/2018)
Donald Trump has cancelled a visit to Britain next month to open the new US embassy in London amid fears of mass protests.
The American president claimed on Twitter that his reason for calling off the trip was his displeasure at Barack Obama having sold the current embassy for “peanuts” and built a replacement for $1.2bn. “Bad deal,” he wrote.
But the embassy’s plan to move from Mayfair to Nine Elms in London was first reported in October 2008 – when George W Bush was still president and Obama had not yet been elected.
Read on...
____________________________
Protests
Donald Trump Cancels UK Visit To Open 'Bad Deal' Embassy, Amid Threat Of Huge Protests
Chris York and Jack Sommers (The Huffington Post UK, 12/01/2018)
Donald Trump has confirmed he has cancelled his trip to London that was likely to prompt huge protests, saying he did not want to cut the ribbon on the new US embassy as the building’s relocation was a “bad deal”.
Trump’s plan to visit has caused huge controversy and repeated calls for Theresa May to withdraw the invite - though she insisted as recently as Sunday that he was still coming.
On Thursday evening, there were multiple news reports in the UK that the US President was cancelling the trip and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson would replace him.
Read on...