Secretary of State Rex Tillerson visited the new $1 billion US Embassy in London on Monday — only days after President Trump slammed the move to new diplomatic quarters as part of a bad deal struck under the Obama administration.
The top diplomat, who embarked on a nearly weeklong trip to Europe amid a government shutdown, went to the embassy to greet US Ambassador Woody Johnson.
Asked when there would be a ribbon-cutting ceremony, Johnson said: “At some point we’re going to do it, but there’s no urgency to that. We’ll do it when the time is right.”
The embassy became the latest source of friction in US-British relations when Trump said he had canceled plans to formally open the facility because of its cost and location in a less desirable area than the old embassy.
In an explosive tweet, Trump assailed the Obama administration for moving the embassy from London’s posh Mayfair district.
But his explanation was met by skepticism from many who noted Trump’s possible visit was greeted with disdain in Britain, with some pols saying he was unwelcome in their country.
The decision to move the embassy was actually made by President George W. Bush’s administration in 2008 after it determined the old facility in Grosvenor Square had serious security issues.
The embassy had been based at Grosvenor Square since 1938, with the area known as “Little America” during World War II, when the square also housed the military headquarters of Gen. Dwight Eisenhower.
The new facility was constructed with the proceeds from sales of US government properties and leases in London. The new embassy, in the former industrial area of Nine Elms on the south side of the River Thames, opened Jan. 16.
Tillerson, who is on his eighth trip to Europe since becoming secretary of state a year ago, also was meeting with British Prime Minister Theresa May, her national security adviser Mark Sedwill and Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson.
In Europe, Iran is expected to dominate Tillerson’s talks in the UK and France — the first two stops — before he heads to Switzerland and Poland.
Tillerson is seeking British and French support for tough new penalties against Iran that could prevent a US withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal.
Britain and France are parties to the 2015 Iran deal that Trump has warned he will walk away from this spring unless fixes are made to his liking.
A senior US official said Tillerson’s intent is “to close the gaps” in the accord that gave Iran billions in sanctions relief in return for curbs on its nuclear program, and to explore more ways to counter Iranian behavior in Syria, Lebanon and Yemen.
With Post wires