Keir Starmer is forced to awkwardly step in and defend his 'friend' Sadiq Khan after Donald Trump brands the London mayor a 'nasty person'
The Prime Minister attempted to intervene as the US President ranted about Sir Sadiq at his Trump Turnberry golf resort in Ayrshire, Scotland.
Speaking to reporters as he and Sir Keir sat down for their meeting this afternoon, Mr Trump was asked if he would visit London during his next trip to the UK.
The US President is due to return to Britain in September for an unprecedented second state visit, following his 2019 visit during his first spell in the White House.
Mr Trump replied: 'I will. I'm not a fan of your mayor. I think he's done a terrible job, the mayor of London… a nasty person.'
At this point, Sir Keir stuck out a hand and interjected to say: 'He's a friend of mine, actually.'
But the US President continued: 'I think he's done a terrible job. But I would certainly visit London.'
Following Mr Trump's outburst, Sir Sadiq's allies swiped that - while he had won three elections to be London mayor - Mr Trump had lost the 2020 presidential election.
There has been a long-running feud between Sir Sadiq and Mr Trump, who previously called the London mayor a 'stone cold loser' in 2019.
This came after Sir Sadiq allowed a giant inflatable 'Trump baby' blimp to coincide with the US President's state visit that year.
In 2016, Mr Trump challenged Sir Sadiq to an IQ test after Mr Khan said his views on Islam were 'ignorant'.
A spokesman for the London mayor said: 'Sadiq is delighted that President Trump wants to come to the greatest city in the world.
'He'd see how our diversity makes us stronger not weaker; richer, not poorer.
'Perhaps these are the reasons why a record number of Americans have applied for British citizenship under his Presidency.'
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