UK ambassador's op-ed praises new embassy that Trump ripped on Twitter
Source: The Hill
BY JOSH DELK - 01/12/18 10:40 AM EST
The U.S. ambassador to Great Britain wrote an op-ed in a British newspaper Thursday praising the new U.S. embassy in London, the same building that President Trump slammed in a tweet on Friday morning.
"It is the most secure, hi-tech and environmentally friendly embassy that the United States has ever built. Purchased and built from the sale of our London properties, the new embassy did not cost the US taxpayer a cent," Ambassador Woody Johnson wrote in the Evening Standard. "Yet is one of the most advanced embassies we have ever built."
Trump announced via Twitter on Thursday that he had cancelled his planned trip to London for the opening of the new billion-dollar embassy, bashing the building's "off location" and large price tag. The president's visit was expected to be met with large protests.
-snip-
Johnson sided with Trump on the historical location of the old embassy, which he noted dates back to 1785 when John Adams was the first official ambassador to the U.K., but pointed to the American-designed building's merits. "I agree with President Trump that Grosvenor Square, in the heart of London, was a perfect location for our embassy. Security concerns after September 11 meant we had to move to a location that could better protect American citizens and our British neighbors. On Tuesday we will open the doors of our brand-new embassy to the general public in Nine Elms, a site selected under a previous administration."
Read more: http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/368699-uk-ambassador-writes-op-ed-praising-new-embassy-hours-after-trump
delisen
(6,046 posts)many fires now that he will escape punishment?
dawg day
(7,947 posts)Trump doesn't know London-- the new embassy location is just across the river from Westminster.
Then again, the new embassy could be on top of Buckingham Palace, and he'd still grouse, because he needs an excuse to cancel the trip that doesn't include "The Tory government doesn't want me, and the Queen said she'd rather get a root canal than meet me."
FakeNoose
(32,791 posts)That's what this is all about, and why he cancelled the state visit planned for May.
The new U.S. Embassy took a long time to build but it was actually started in 2008 when W. was President. Trump thinks this was Obama's project, therefore he has to "trash" it. But really the old embassy had to be moved for security reasons and the project took almost 10 years to complete. Whether Cheeto shows up for the ribbon-cutting ceremony or not, it will open next week and it's surely going to gorgeous and well-received by the public.
truthisfreedom
(23,159 posts)Bush.