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Trump cancels London visit over 'bad' embassy deal

By Euan McKirdy and Kevin Liptak, CNN Updated 0705 GMT (1505 HKT) January 12, 2018
https://edition.cnn.com/2018/01/12/politics/trump-london-trip-us-embassy-intl/index.html

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

US President says he won't visit UK for ribbon-cutting of new embassy

Trump cites disapproval with the deal to sell the existing embassy site as reason; would have likely faced considerable protests in the UK

(CNN)US President Donald Trump won't be paying a visit to London to open his country's billion-dollar embassy, he tweeted Thursday.

The trip, which would have been Trump's first to the UK as president, had not been officially announced but was expected next month.

In the tweet, Trump blames his predecessor, former president Barack Obama, for the decision to sell the existing embassy, which he describes as "the best located and finest" in the city, for "'peanuts.'"

"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!" the full tweet reads.

Donald J. Trump
@realDonaldTrump
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!

4:57 AM - Jan 12, 2018
28,843 28,843 Replies 8,959 8,959 Retweets 33,120 33,120 likes

The decision to move the embassy from Grosvenor Square to Nine Elms was made in 2008 under George W. Bush, not Obama. It would have been impossible to retrofit the aging concrete building with the security measures needed, officials said at the time.

Options examined

"We looked at all our options, including renovation of our current building on Grosvenor Square," then-Ambassador Robert Tuttle said.

"In the end, we realized that the goal of a modern, secure and environmentally sustainable embassy could best be met by constructing a new facility."

Ground was broken at the new site, in Nine Elms, in November 2013.

The existing complex in Grosvenor Square has been sold to Qatar's sovereign wealth fund, which will turn convert it into a hotel.

UK officials, based in London, said they were initially told to plan for a visit from Trump to the UK at the end of February. But word came from Washington in recent days that the trip was likely off.

The officials declined to say why, and said the decision was made by the Americans.

Unpopular leader likely to be met with protest

Large protests are expected to accompany any presidential visit to the British capital, where Trump is deeply unpopular.

A UK official said on Thursday the invitation to Trump for a state visit, first extended by British Prime Minister Theresa May during her visit to the US early in Trump's presidency, still stands: "The invitation for a State Visit has been extended and accepted," the official said.

The official drew a distinction between the state visit, which would include a visit with Queen Elizabeth II and royal trappings like a horse parade, and a working visit, that would include a meeting with Prime Minister Theresa May and other diplomatic formalities like opening the embassy.

In November last year, London Mayor Sadiq Khan slammed Trump for retweeting anti-Muslim propaganda from a British far-right party, and suggested May shouldn't welcome Trump into their country for a state visit.

Khan, who is Muslim, called Britain First, the far-right party Trump retweeted, "a vile, extremist group that exists solely to sow division and hatred in our country."

He added that the videos make it "increasingly clear that any official visit at all from President Trump to Britain would not be welcomed."

https://edition.cnn.com/2018/01/12/politics/trump-london-trip-us-embassy-intl/index.html