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TEHRAN, April 29 - US President Donald Trump has renewed his criticism of the new American embassy in London, calling the south London location "lousy" and "horrible.”
TEHRAN, Young Journalists Club (YJC) –The new embassy has become a point of strain in US-UK relations. Trump has complained that the embassy is too costly and is in a less desirable location than the old US embassy in the city.
The US president, who is planning to visit the UK in July, had criticized the administration of former US President Barack Obama for selling the previous embassy compound and building a new one on the south side of the River Thames.
The decision to move the embassy, however, was made by the administration of former President George W. Bush in 2008 after it determined the old facility in Grosvenor Square had uncorrectable security issues.
The $1 billion construction was funded by the sale of other US properties in London.
During a rally in Michigan on Saturday, Trump slammed the move. "We had the best site in all of London," said, before adding that now, "We have an embassy in a lousy location."
Trump told his supporters that the previous site was "sold for like 250 million" -- but that organizers "spent all of that money, plus a lot more, to build a new embassy in a lousy location."
He added, "By the way, they wanted me to cut the ribbon on the embassy [in January] and I said: 'I'm not going. I don't wanna do it.'"
The new US embassy in London opened its doors to the public for the first time in January this year but Trump failed to attend its inauguration.
Then-US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was scheduled to open the embassy instead of Trump but he also did not attend the inauguration.
Trump’s comments come ahead of a planned visit to the UK on July 13.
Trump has not yet visited Britain since taking office more than a year ago over fears of mass protests, and has been involved in rows with the government over issues including trade and his re-tweeting of an anti-Muslim video posted by a British far-right group.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan also said he "would not be welcome" in the city, suggesting there could be widespread protests.
May offered Trump a state visit to Britain one year ago, when she became the first foreign leader to visit the White House after his inauguration.
Meanwhile, British Labor Party leader Jeremy Corbyn has rejected the so-called “special relationship” between the US and the UK, saying that Washington is not the most important ally of London.
The special relationship is an unofficial term for the close political, diplomatic, economic, military and cultural relations between the United States and the United Kingdom. It was first used in a 1946 speech by former UK Prime Minister Winston Churchill.
Source: Press TV
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