Trump Meets Queen Elizabeth After Denying Criticizing UK PM May
Large Protests, Baby Blimp Greet Trump In London And The U.K | Image: NPR
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump arrived at Windsor Castle for a social visit with Queen Elizabeth II Friday just hours after he denied he had criticized Prime Minister Theresa May and declared the U.S.-U.K. relationship “the highest level of special” — not long after lobbing thunderous broadsides against her.
The monarch welcomed the American president in the courtyard of the royal castle.
A military band honoured Trump with a Royal Salute before playing the U.S. National Anthem.
It was Trump’s first time meeting the monarch. He was accompanied by his wife, first lady Melania Trump. Britain’s national news agency said they spent 47 minutes getting acquainted over tea inside the castle – 17 minutes longer than scheduled.
Trump’s pomp-filled visit to the United Kingdom has been overshadowed by widespread protests and an explosive interview in The Sun in which he blasted May, his host, blamed London’s mayor for terror attacks against the city and argued that Europe was “losing its culture” because of immigration.
“I didn’t criticize the prime minister. I have a lot of respect for the prime minister,” said Trump, who allowed that he did apologize for some of his comments. But he blamed his favourite scapegoat — the so-called “Fake Media” — for skipping over his praise of May in a piece that published Thursday just as the Prime Minister held an opulent welcome dinner at a country palace.
First Lady Melania & President Trump meeting Queen Elizabeth II | Image: BBC
The president then urged reporters to listen to a full recording of the interview, which he said would give the full picture.
Trump was greeted by massive protests across Britain, including tens of thousands of demonstrators who filled the streets of London alongside a giant balloon that flew over Parliament on Friday depicting him as a cell-phone-toting angry baby in a diaper.
Source: ABC, SUN, NB CloseAngles Zachary Ballif The Kootneeti North America Team
