On Thursday night, President Trump announced on Twitter that he has called off a February visit to Great Britain, explaining he refused to cut the ribbon at the new U.S. embassy in London, built "in an off location" by the Obama administration.
British news outlets had already reported that Trump had canceled the trip, which along with the embassy ribbon-cutting was expected to include a state visit hosted by Queen Elizabeth II. Trump had accepted the invitation but the White House had never "nailed down the details of the trip," says BBC diplomatic correspondent James Landale. BBC News also says Trump reportedly "wanted to delay a potential visit amid concerns about large-scale protests," and he may visit later in the year.
U.S. Ambassador Woody Johnson said in December he "absolutely" expected Trump to visit Britain in the new year, and he gushed about the new London embassy, calling it "a signal to the world that this special relationship that we have is stronger and is going to grow and get better." The U.S. decided to build the new embassy out of security concerns and because its staff had quadrupled since the current U.S. embassy in Grosvenor Square was built in the 1950s. Johnson called the $1 billion price tag a "bargain" compared with the $1.6 billion stadium he built for his NFL team, the New York Jets.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The new U.S. embassy "sits on a bend in the River Thames and has sweeping views across London to the Houses of Parliament," Britain's Telegraph says. The Netherlands and China are considering moving their embassies there, too.
-
Rachel Jones: Gated Canyons – ‘riotously colourful’ works from an ‘exhilarating’ painterThe Week Recommends The 34-year-old is the first artist to take over Dulwich Picture Gallery’s main space
-
Born With Teeth: ‘mischievously provocative’ play starring Ncuti GatwaThe Week Recommends ‘Sprightly’ production from Liz Duffy Adams imagines the relationship between Shakespeare and Christopher Marlowe
-
Prince charming: Harry’s tea with King sparks royal reconciliation rumoursTalking Point Are the royals – and the UK public – ready to welcome the Duke of Sussex back in?
-
House posts lewd Epstein note attributed to TrumpSpeed Read The estate of Jeffrey Epstein turned over the infamous 2003 birthday note from President Donald Trump
-
Supreme Court allows 'roving' race-tied ICE raidsSpeed Read The court paused a federal judge's order barring agents from detaining suspected undocumented immigrants in LA based on race
-
South Korea to fetch workers detained in Georgia raidSpeed Read More than 300 South Korean workers detained in an immigration raid at a Hyundai plant will be released
-
DC sues Trump to end Guard 'occupation'Speed Read D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb argues that the unsolicited military presence violates the law
-
RFK Jr. faces bipartisan heat in Senate hearingSpeed Read The health secretary defended his leadership amid CDC turmoil and deflected questions about the restricted availability of vaccines
-
White House defends boat strike as legal doubts mountSpeed Read Experts say there was no legal justification for killing 11 alleged drug-traffickers
-
Epstein accusers urge full file release, hint at own listspeed read A rally was organized by Reps. Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie, who are hoping to force a vote on their Epstein Files Transparency Act
-
Court hands Harvard a win in Trump funding battleSpeed Read The Trump administration was ordered to restore Harvard's $2 billion in research grants
