Donald Trump has taken aim at plenty of people since stepping into public life, and the UK hasn’t exactly escaped his radar.
From digs at our prime ministers to long-standing feuds with London’s mayor, he’s found a way to land a jab at Britain whenever the mood strikes him. Some comments are blunt political swipes, while others feel like he’s itching for a scrap. Either way, they’ve shaped how many Brits see his style: loud, brash, and always ready with a soundbite that sets teeth on edge.
Below are thirteen moments when Trump’s words about Britain or British leaders turned heads, raised eyebrows, or caused a good old-fashioned diplomatic wince.
1. He called Sadiq Khan “horrible, vicious and disgusting.”
Trump’s long-running feud with London Mayor Sadiq Khan reached a new level when he described him as “horrible, vicious and disgusting” during a recent interview, according to The Washington Post. He claimed the mayor had “destroyed” London and tied his argument to Khan’s record on migration and crime.
Even people who disagree with Khan politically felt the whole thing veered into unnecessary character-bashing. London may be many things, but hearing a foreign leader take personal shots at its mayor doesn’t usually go down well here. It set the tone for yet another round of back-and-forth between the two men, and it showed that Trump still has Khan near the top of his grievance list.
2. He warned the UN that Khan was a “terrible” leader.
A few months earlier, Trump had already been warming up. In a speech to the United Nations, he labelled Khan a “terrible” leader and claimed London was falling apart under him. He even threw in a suggestion that the city was slipping towards sharia law, which politicians across Westminster condemned instantly.
It wasn’t just the insult that rattled people, it was the global stage he chose to deliver it from. British diplomats described the whole thing as needlessly inflammatory, and Khan hit back by calling the remarks racist and Islamophobic. For Trump, though, it became one more round in their ongoing fight.
3. He brushed off Europe as “weak” and “decaying.”
This one wasn’t aimed only at us, but we were clearly caught in the crossfire. In an interview about NATO and global alliances, Trump branded Europe a “weak” and “decaying” group of nations. While he didn’t single out the UK by name, the knock-on effect was obvious.
Britain has always prided itself on its strength within Europe’s political scene, even after Brexit, so hearing a U.S. president dismiss the continent as washed-out left a sour taste. British commentators were quick to point out the insult buried beneath the broad statement, and that his criticism painted Britain with the same brush, whether he meant to or not.
4. He called Theresa May “foolish.”
During the peak of the Brexit storm, Trump openly ridiculed then-Prime Minister Theresa May, calling her “foolish” over her handling of the negotiations. It wasn’t just a passing remark; he doubled down on it during a press conference, implying she had messed up the entire process.
It came at a time when May was struggling to keep her own party together, and the last thing she needed was a very public slap from the White House. Diplomats on both sides were left scrambling to soften the fallout. Critics argued that whatever view Trump had on Brexit, calling a close ally’s prime minister foolish in front of the cameras crossed a line.
5. He called the UK ambassador “a very stupid guy.”
Trump didn’t reserve his insults for prime ministers. When leaked memos from Sir Kim Darroch, then the UK ambassador to Washington, described him as “inept” and “insecure,” Trump fired back instantly. He called Darroch “a very stupid guy” and banned him from future meetings. The comments were so sharp that Darroch resigned within days.
For many Brits, watching a seasoned diplomat get torn apart in public by an ally was jarring. It wasn’t just an argument behind closed doors; it was a full display of hostility played out in headlines worldwide.
6. He claimed London voters backed Khan because of migration levels.
During a rant about border control, Trump argued that Londoners voted for Khan because of migration trends, saying the city “votes for him now” because of its population changes. London’s voters didn’t appreciate being told by an American president what drives their choices at the ballot box.
Critics said it showed a simplistic view of British politics and framed an entire city as predictable and narrow-minded. It added yet another layer to his relentless targeting of Khan, and it irritated a lot of people who felt he was painting London with one broad stroke.
7. He dismissed UK wind energy as “a disaster.”
Trump has never hidden his dislike for wind power, and Britain wasn’t spared. In a meeting with Sir Keir Starmer, he called UK wind energy “a disaster” and insisted Britain should drill more in the North Sea. Whether you love or hate wind turbines, hearing a foreign leader tell Britain its energy choices are disastrous doesn’t land very well.
It added pressure to an already heated topic, and people questioned why Trump felt the need to weigh in on domestic matters that British voters, not American presidents, get to settle.
8. He gave that odd backhanded remark about the UK being “lucky.”
At one event, Trump said the UK was “very lucky” to have great people in the royal family, then added that we could “have people that weren’t great.” It was one of those comments that sounds like praise on the surface but feels a bit like a swipe when you hear it in full.
It baffled the audience and left royal watchers wondering if he was trying to criticise someone without saying it openly. With Trump, half the drama comes from working out whether he meant insult or flattery. This one sat somewhere uncomfortably in the middle.
9. He warned Brexit leaders they’d “kill” a US trade deal.
During a newspaper interview, Trump bluntly claimed that a “soft Brexit” would “kill” any chance of a trade deal with the United States. The comment sent shockwaves through Westminster because it effectively told Britain what it should or shouldn’t do during one of the most tense political periods in decades.
Some Brexiteers agreed with him, but many MPs were furious. It felt like interference from a leader who didn’t fully grasp the scale of the challenge Britain faced. Whether he intended to help or simply rattle cages, his warnings came across as another example of him barging into a British debate that didn’t involve him.
10. He called Sadiq Khan a “stone cold loser.”
During his state visit to the UK, a moment meant for diplomacy and goodwill, Trump chose to reignite his feud with Khan again. As Air Force One landed, he tweeted that Khan was a “stone cold loser” who had done a dreadful job leading London. It set an awkward tone before the visit had even begun.
Most world leaders soften their language during official trips to avoid escalating tensions. Trump went in the opposite direction, firing insults before he’d even stepped onto British soil. Londoners shrugged it off with humour, but it didn’t go unnoticed how far outside normal diplomatic behaviour it was.
11. He said the NHS was “going broke.”
Trump has brought up the NHS more than once, usually as an argument against public healthcare in the United States. On social media, he claimed the NHS was “going broke” and pointed to it as proof that national healthcare is doomed to fail. NHS staff and patients in Britain didn’t appreciate being used as an example of what not to do.
The system may have problems, and no one denies that, but hearing a foreign leader casually declare it broken sparked a wave of irritation. Politicians of all major parties pushed back and made clear the NHS wasn’t up for debate with any American president.
12. He mocked Theresa May’s attempts to build a relationship with him.
In one of his more petty moments, Trump was caught telling aides that Theresa May had tried too hard to stay friendly with him. According to reports from several newspapers, he suggested she was overly eager and claimed he found it tiresome. Whether the comments were private or not, they ended up in print, and they made headlines across Britain.
It was a reminder that Trump’s off-the-cuff remarks can be just as cutting as the ones he makes on camera. Diplomats work hard to keep alliances stable, so hearing the president belittle a prime minister’s efforts didn’t sit comfortably with many people.
13. He claimed Boris Johnson was “overrated.”
Despite once calling Boris Johnson a good fit for leadership, Trump later switched gears and said Johnson was “overrated.” He made the remark while discussing British politics and Brexit negotiations, insisting that Johnson wasn’t living up to expectations. The sudden U-turn confused people, partly because Trump had openly praised Johnson in the past.
For many Brits, it felt like a reminder that Trump’s loyalty tends to rise and fall depending on whether someone backs him publicly. One minute Johnson was a star in his eyes; the next he was unimpressive. It was classic Trump: unpredictable, blunt, and guaranteed to make headlines.
