Donald Trump: I turned down meeting with 'negative' Jeremy Corbyn
4 min read
Donald Trump has branded Jeremy Corbyn a "negative force" and revealed he turned down the offer of a meeting with the Labour leader.
The US president said Mr Corbyn's office had tried to arrange a meeting between the pair during his three-day state visit to the UK.
But he said he had no intention of sitting down with the leader of the opposition because he preferred people who "do things correctly as opposed to criticise".
President Trump revealed the snub just minutes after Mr Corbyn - who also turned down an invitation to attend a state banquet in the commander-in-chief's honour - launched a furious attack on him at a rally in Trafalgar Square.
The Labour leader said: "When you have created that sense of hate, when you have destroyed people’s self esteem by those forms of racism do you know what? You haven’t built a house, you haven’t built school, you haven’t trained a nurse,you haven’t defended our natural world. All you have done is created a greater sense of hate and hatred that goes with it."
Speaking at a joint-press conference with Theresa May in the Foreign Office, the president said: "He wanted to meet with me and I told him no. I don't know Jeremy Corbyn, never met him, never spoke to him.
"He wanted to meet either today or tomorrow and I decided I would not do that. I think he is, from where I come from, somewhat of a negative force. I think people should look to do things correctly as opposed to criticise. I really don't like critics as much as I like and respect people that get things done. So I decided not to meet."
When he turned down his invitation to the state banquet, Mr Corbyn said: "Theresa May should not be rolling out the red carpet for a state visit to honour a president who rips up vital international treaties, backs climate change denial and uses racist and misogynist rhetoric.
"Maintaining an important relationship with the United States does not require the pomp and ceremony of a state visit. It is disappointing that the prime minister has again opted to kowtow to this US administration.
"I would welcome a meeting with President Trump to discuss all matters of interest."
PROSPERITY
But Mrs May told the press conference it was vital that the UK and America maintained close ties.
She said: "I would say to both the Mayor of London and Jeremy Corbyn, the discussions we have had today are about the future of this most important relationship between the US and the UK. As the president described it, the greatest alliance the world has seen.
"It is this deep relationship and partnership between the United States and the United Kingdom that ensures our safety and security and the safety and security of others around the world too. And it is this relationship that helps ensure there are jobs that employ people in the UK and in the United States, that underpins our prosperity and our future.
"That is a relationship we should cherish, that is a relationship we should build on, it is a relationship we should be proud of."
Meanwhile, President Trump insisted the protests against him had been small - despite thousands taking to the streets of London to protest against his presence.
He said: "As far as the protests, I have to tell you I commented on it yesterday, we left the Prime Minister, the Queen, the Royal Family, there were thousands of people on the street cheering. Even coming over today there were thousands of people cheering, then I heard there were protests and I said: 'Where are the protests, I don't see any protests'.
"I did see a small protest today when I came, very small. So a lot of it is fake news I have to say, but you saw the people waving the American flag, waving your flag. It was tremendous spirit and love. It was great love for our alliance. And I didn't see the protestors until just a while a go and it was a very, very small group of people put in for political reasons. So it was fake news."
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