Former President Donald Trump has claimed London “opened its doors to Jihad” as he promised not to let the same happen in the United States.
Trump, 77, who is hoping to become just the second Commander-in-Chief to serve two non-consecutive terms in the Oval Office, also warned the British capital is becoming “unrecognisable”.
Speaking at a campaign rally in Wisconsin on Wednesday afternoon, the 45th President took aim at protesters who have staged two weeks of demonstrations on campuses across the US.
He said: “We’ve seen what happened when Europe opened their doors to jihad.
Former US President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally on May 1
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“Look at Paris, look at London - they’re no longer recognisable.
“And I’m going get myself into a lot of trouble with the folks in Paris and the folks in London, but you know what, that’s the fact.
“They are no longer recognisable and we can’t let that happen to our country.
“We have incredible culture, tradition - nothing wrong with their culture, their tradition - we can’t let that happen here and I’ll never let it happen to the United States of America.”
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Trump described London as "unrecognisable"
PAMajor US cities have been experiencing pro-Palestine protests amid Israel’s ongoing war with Hamas.
However, Trump has previously claimed the streets of London and Paris are unsafe.
During his successful 2016 campaign, the property-tycoon-turned-politician said: “London and other places… are so radicalised that the police are afraid for their own lives”.
Foreign Secretary Lord David Cameron, who was then Prime Minister, said Trump’s comments were “divisive, unhelpful and quite simply wrong”.
Donald Trump is vying for a second termREUTERSFormer London Mayor Boris Johnson responded by claiming Trump’s comments were “ill-informed” and “utter nonsense.”
He added: “The only reason I wouldn’t go to some parts of New York is the real risk of meeting Donald Trump.”
However, Johnson would later pivot his position on Trump as the pair struck up a closer relationship during their respective stints in Downing Street and the White House.
The ex-Prime Minister recently suggested a Trump victory over Joe Biden would be a “big win for the world”.