Donald Trump will come to Britain next year despite anger over his far-right retweets, the US ambassador to London said today.
Woody Johnson admitted that the public spat with Theresa May meant ‘some feathers were ruffled’.
But he said the leaders still had a ‘very very good relationship’ and he believed the visit would still happen.
The row erupted last month when the US President retweeted three anti-Muslim videos posted by the Britain First group.
Plans are thought to be in hand for the US president (pictured at the White House yesterday) to make a ‘working visit’ to London within months to open the new American embassy
Theresa May invited Mr Trump for a state visit when she went to Washington in January,
One claimed to show a ‘Muslim migrant’ beating up a Dutch boy on crutches. Dutch authorities have insisted the alleged migrant was born and raised in the country and his religion is unknown.
Mr Trump also retweeted a video of a Muslim man ‘destroy(ing) a statue of Virgin Mary’, and another where Britain First deputy leader Jayda Fransen – who has previously been convicted of religiously aggravated harassment – to wrote: ‘Islamist mob pushed teenage boy off roof and beats him to death!’ The provenance of the footage is unknown.
Mr Trump’s actions drew cold fury from across the political spectrum in the UK, with fresh calls for his State Visit invite – extended by Mrs May on behalf of the Queen in Washington in January – to be withdrawn.
The PM insisted retweeting Britain First was the ‘wrong thing to do’, and said she would not hesitate to tell Mr Trump when she disagreed with him.
But in the worst public clashes between US and UK leaders in memory, Mr Trump doubled down by demanding that Mrs May focus on tackling ‘Islamic Terrorism’ in Britain rather than criticising him.
Downing Street has said Mrs May wants to speak to the US president by telephone, but weeks later the call has still not taken place.
Despite the row, plans are thought to be in hand for the US president to make a ‘working visit’ within months to open the new American embassy in London.
The first video President Trump posted depicted ‘Muslim migrant’ according to Jayda Fransen, beating up a ‘Dutch boy on crutches’
Mr Trump fired back at the PM by saying she should concentrate on ‘Radical Islamic Terrorism taking place in the UK’ and not his Twitter activity. Twitter users were also quick to point out that the president initially tagged the wrong Theresa in his message
US ambassador Woody Johnson admitted that the public spat with Theresa May meant ‘some feathers were ruffled’
It is conceived as a pared-back trip, rather than a red carpet occasion.
Ministers have admitted they are ‘deeply uncomfortable’ about the prospect of him coming to the UK.
Asked about the visit, US ambassador Mr Johnson told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: ‘Absolutely, I think he will come…
‘It hasn’t been officially announced but I hope he does. Because this building has to be dedicated.’
Mr Johnson added: ‘I think it’s a very very good relationship.
‘The prime minister was his first visitor, the first official foreign leader to visit. And that was done by intent.’
No10 said no date for a working visit had been fixed.