London Mayor Sadiq Khan’s office fired back after President Trump called him a “stone cold loser,” saying that the U.S. leader represents a “growing far-right threat around the globe.”
“This is much more serious than childish insults which should be beneath the President of the United States,” Khan’s office said in a statement.
{mosads}“Sadiq is representing the progressive values of London and our country warning that Donald Trump is the most egregious example of a growing far-right threat around the globe, which is putting at risk the basic values that have defined our liberal democracies for more than 70 years,” Khan’s office added.
Trump and Khan have often exchanged criticism of each other since Trump took office in 2017.
Khan wrote a fiery op-ed on Saturday ahead of Trump’s visit.
Trump fired back Monday morning, tweeting that Khan has done a “terrible job” as mayor and has been “foolishly ‘nasty’ to the visiting President of the United States.”
The back-and-forth also comes after Trump on Sunday mocked Khan by comparing him to another frequent target of the president, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio (D).
Trump called Khan the “twin of de Blasio, except shorter.”
Trump kicked off his state visit Monday by meeting with Queen Elizabeth II and other members of the royal family. He is scheduled to meet with outgoing Prime Minister Theresa May as well.
Trump’s visit to the U.K. comes as the nation is divided in still undecided Brexit negotiations and searching for a prime minister. Trump has publicly supported the controversial conservative choice Boris Johnson, saying he would be “excellent.”