President Donald Trump has taken to Twitter to brand Sadiq Khan a "disaster" and a "national disgrace" following two fatal stabbings and a shooting in London, which occurred within the space of 24 hours. In doing so, the president has reignited his political feud with the London Mayor, a feud which came to a head when Trump referred to Khan as a "stone cold loser" earlier this month.
On Saturday evening, Trump responded to a tweet from British right-wing media personality Katie Hopkins, writing: "LONDON needs a new mayor ASAP. Khan is a disaster - will only get worse!"
In Hopkins' tweet, she referred to London as "Stan-City" and "Londonistan" in the wake of the gun and knife attacks.
The tweet came hours after a man in his 30s was found stabbed to death in Tower Hamlets, east London.
The fatal attack followed the deaths of two teenagers who were murdered within minutes of each other in different parts of the capital on Friday
Trump later returned to the social media platform, writing: "He [Mr Khan] is a national disgrace who is destroying the City of London!"
A spokesman for Khan has said he was wasn't prepared to "waste his time" responding to Trump, adding that the mayor is instead "focusing on supporting London's communities and over-stretched emergency services".
He said: "He [Mr Khan] has been in regular touch with senior Met police officers last night and throughout the day."
His thoughts are with the victims' families, the spokesman added.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn also took to Twitter to defend the London mayor, writing: "Absolutely awful to see @realDonaldTrump using the tragedy of people being murdered to attack the Mayor.
"@SadiqKhan is rightly supporting the police to do their job while Katie Hopkins spreads hateful and divisive rhetoric. They seek to divide at a time we need to come together."
The war of words between Trump and Khan received a great deal of attention this month when the president called the mayor a "stone cold loser who should focus on crime in London".
This followed Khan's attack on Trump ahead of his three-day state visit to the UK. A spokesman for the mayor said "childish insults should be beneath the president of the United States".
As to the recent attacks, the mayor tweeted that he was "sickened" by the tragic events, which are not thought to be connected.
