Boris Johnson’s shock snub of Donald Trump: ‘I won’t go to New York in case I meet him!’
Mr Johnson made the claim in 2015, after Mr Trump proposed a Muslim ban during his efforts to become President. During his statement, the then Republican candidate said that cities like Paris and London were “radicalised” and wanted to avoid the US going in the same direction. Mr Trump told MSNBC at the time: “We have places in London and other places that are so radicalised that police are afraid for their own lives.”
London Mayor at the time, Mr Johnson fumed at the “ill-informed” tycoon, launching a damning condemnation of his comments.
Mr Johnson said: “Donald Trump’s ill-informed comments are complete and utter nonsense.
“As a city where more than 300 languages are spoken, London has a proud history of tolerance and diversity and to suggest there are areas where police officers cannot go because of radicalisation is simply ridiculous.
“I would welcome the opportunity to show Mr Trump first hand some of the excellent work our police officers do every day in local neighbourhoods throughout our city.
“Crime has been falling steadily in both London and New York – and the only reason I wouldn’t go to some parts of New York is the real risk of meeting Donald Trump.”
Mr Johnson also hit out at Mr Trump’s “stupefying ignorance” and lambasted the divisive rhetoric.
He added: “What he’s doing is playing the game of the terrorists and those who seek to divide us, and I have to say, when Trump says that there are ‘no-go’ areas in London, he’s betraying stupefying ignorance that makes him frankly unfit for the office of the presidency.
“I would like to invite him to come to see the whole of London and take him around the city, except I wouldn’t want to expose any Londoners to the unnecessary risk of meeting Donald Trump.”
Since the MP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip emerged as a major advocate for Brexit however, the relationship between the two began to grow.
When Mr Johnson won the Conservative Party leadership race last year, President Trump congratulated him in a tweet, writing: “He will be great!”
After the Tories secured an 80-seat majority last December, President Trump congratulated him saying “Britain and the United States will now be free to strike a massive new Trade Deal after BREXIT”.
He added: “This deal has the potential to be far bigger and more lucrative than any deal that could be made with the EU. Celebrate Boris!”
But since then, fresh divisions have emerged over the handling of China, and specifically, Huawei.
The Chinese technology company has been granted a limited role in developing the UK’s 5G network.
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However, Washington had previously warned Downing Street to steer clear of a deal with China.
Earlier this month, it was reported that Mr Johnson and Mr Trump had a huge row via a telephone call over the UK’s decision.
Trump was reported by the Financial Times to have been “apoplectic” about the decision taken by Johnson, and the phone call was said by one official to have been “very difficult”.
A Number 10 source said the account was overblown and that they did not agree that there had been a tense disagreement.
With Brexit presenting an opportunity for the UK to strike a new deal with the US, Mr Johnson will be hoping he can recover his friendship with President Trump.
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