Trump hits back at London mayor over golf criticism

President Trump on Tuesday hit back at London Mayor Sadiq Khan after the British politician chastised him for golfing while Hurricane Dorian approached the mainland United States.

Trump defended his time spent golfing in a pair of tweets, arguing that it’s no different from politicians who spend time exercising or traveling.

“The incompetent Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, was bothered that I played a very fast round of golf yesterday,” Trump tweeted, originally misspelling the mayor’s name before correcting himself.{mosads}

“Many Pols exercise for hours, or travel for weeks. Me, I run through one of my courses (very inexpensive). President Obama would fly to Hawaii,” he continued. “Kahn should focus on ‘knife crime,’ which is totally out of control in London. People are afraid to even walk the streets. He is a terrible mayor who should stay out of our business!”

….”knife crime,” which is totally out of control in London. People are afraid to even walk the streets. He is a terrible mayor who should stay out of our business!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 3, 2019

Khan traveled to Poland over the weekend to mark the 80th anniversary of the start of World War II. Trump was scheduled to attend the ceremonies as well, but announced last week he would remain in Washington to monitor Hurricane Dorian. 

“He’s clearly busy dealing with a hurricane out on the golf course,” Khan told Politico on Sunday.

The two leaders have regularly exchanged criticisms of one another. Khan has labeled Trump a “poster-boy for white nationalism,” while the president has chastised the mayor for his leadership of London.

Trump took a helicopter from Camp David to his Sterling, Va., golf club on Saturday, where he spent much of the morning and part of the afternoon before receiving a briefing on Dorian.

The president received another hurricane briefing on Sunday before returning to his golf club on Monday, where CNN cameras captured him playing in a foursome.