Trump confirms he canceled a February trip to Britain, cites embassy real estate


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.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
Scorching hot sauces that pack a punch
The Week Recommends The best sauces to tingle your lips and add a fiery kick to your food
-
Syria’s strange post-Assad election
The Explainer Sunday’s limited vote ‘suited the phase Syria is undergoing’, says interim president
-
Why did the China spying case collapse?
Today’s Big Question Unwillingness to call China an ‘enemy’ apparently scuppered espionage trial
-
Museum head ousted after Trump sword gift denial
Speed Read Todd Arrington, who led the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum, denied the Trump administration a sword from the collection as a gift for King Charles
-
Trump declares ‘armed conflict’ with drug cartels
speed read This provides a legal justification for recent lethal military strikes on three alleged drug trafficking boats
-
Supreme Court rules for Fed’s Cook in Trump feud
Speed Read Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook can remain in her role following Trump’s attempts to oust her
-
Judge rules Trump illegally targeted Gaza protesters
Speed Read The Trump administration’s push to arrest and deport international students for supporting Palestine is deemed illegal
-
Trump: US cities should be military ‘training grounds’
Speed Read In a hastily assembled summit, Trump said he wants the military to fight the ‘enemy within’ the US
-
US government shuts down amid health care standoff
Speed Read Democrats said they won’t vote for a deal that doesn’t renew Affordable Care Act health care subsidies
-
YouTube to pay Trump $22M over Jan. 6 expulsion
Speed Read The president accused the company of censorship following the suspension of accounts post-Capitol riot
-
Oregon sues to stop Trump military deployment
Speed Read The president wants to send the National Guard into Portland