Trump’s attack on a ‘decaying Europe’ isn’t just wrong, it’s a lecture Britain shouldn’t sit through, writes Andrew Marr
This American administration really doesn't like us, doesn't like Europe, doesn't like Britain and very much doesn't like London.
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Yesterday I was discussing the new US policy document which talks about immigration and political censorship causing the erasure of European civilisation, and a distinguished former American diplomat pointed out that Trump hadn't actually said it himself.
Emily Thornberry, chair of the foreign affairs select committee also told me yesterday that she didn't believe this kind of attack until it actually came out of Donald Trump's mouth. Well, guys, it has now.
In a new interview he has described Europe as a decaying group of countries led by weak people and said that without changes to their borders some European states will not be viable countries any longer.
If you think that's strong stuff, here is on Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London.
Mr Trump told Politico: “He’s a disaster. He’s a disaster. He’s got a totally different ideology to what he’s supposed to have.
“And he gets elected because so many people have come in. They vote for him now because you know, it’s like [...] it’s one of those things.”
He also said that London and Paris were a “much different place” because “politically correct” leaders in Europe “don’t want to send them back to where they came from”.
Mr Trump added: “If you take a look at London, you have a mayor named Khan. He’s a horrible mayor. He’s an incompetent mayor, but he’s a horrible, vicious, disgusting mayor.
“I think he’s done a terrible job. London’s a different place. I love London. I love London. And I hate to see it happen.”
Just consider for a moment the irony of the president of the United States, a country entirely founded on immigration which, in recent years as well, has derived a lot of its energy, its push, its creativity from waves of migrants, attacking Europe for letting in migrants.
It's as if whatever country it was which invented woke, name escapes me, was attacking Britain for woke, as if the country that brought us social media to enrage and divide us, now complains we aren't more harmonious... But famously the Americans don't get irony, so let's move on.
Yes, by the way, I think the speed and quantity of current immigration here is too much. And yes, I also think we have to get control of our borders - I just kind of resent being lectured by a country with such race and culture war problems of its own.
Did I say race? Well let's put it this way, I don't think when Trump talks about Europe decaying because of immigration he's thinking about immigrants from Australia or Canada or for that matter the US itself.
It's time to stand up for who we are. Not perfect, but I would 100 times more rather live in London than in pious, monotonous New York or dank, self satisfied imperial Washington.
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Andrew Marr is an author, journalist and presenter for LBC.
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