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President Donald Trump denies being late to meet Queen during UK visit – and claims she was the one who kept him waiting
DONALD Trump has denied being late to meet the Queen during his visit to the UK - and instead claims she was the one who kept him waiting.
The US president was speaking about his trip to Britain last month during a passionate campaign rally in Pennsylvania last night.
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He blasted the media as "fake, fake disgusting news" amid reports he had been late for his meeting with Queen Elizabeth II and that he had overstayed his welcome.
Mr Trump told the crowd: "I was asked to have tea with the Queen, who is incredible by the way. Incredible.
"I landed [and] I'm on the ground and I'm waiting with the King's and the Queen's guards - wonderful people. I'm waiting.
"I was about 15 minutes early and I'm waiting with my wife and that's fine.
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"Hey, it's the Queen, right? We can wait. But I'm a little early."
The billionaire continues: "So, I then go up and meet the Queen and she is fantastic. We then go up and we have tea.
"And I didn't know this - it was supposed to last 15 minutes but it lasted like an hour. Because we got along. And she liked our first lady and our first lady liked her.
"But we got along fantastically well. But the time went by - you know, sometimes you get along and the time goes by.
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"So here was the story by the fake news: The president was 15 minutes late for the Queen. Wrong.
"And then, here's the rest of the story: The president overstayed. So I was late and I overstayed. But honestly, folks, it was such a beautiful, beautiful visit and afternoon.
"But they can make anything bad because they are the fake, fake, disgusting news."
Earlier, he said he had "great respect for the UK - the United Kingdom. Great respect."
US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania join the Queen at Windsor Castle for tea
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He then explained: "People call it 'Britain', they call it 'Great Britain'. They used to call it 'England', different parts. But the UK - great respect."
During the rally, Mr Trump repeatedly denounced the press for underselling his accomplishments and doubting his political rise.
He tore into the media for diminishing what he accomplished at his Singapore summit with North Korea leader Kim Jong-un.
Mr Trump also complained about the tough questioning he received in Helsinki when he met with Russia's Vladimir Putin last month.
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He made his first UK visit as US president on July 12 when he arrived at Stansted Airport on Air Force One before being flown by helicopter to Winfield House in London.
While here, he and First Lady Melania were treated to a lavish dinner and concert at Blenheim Palace - Winston Churchill's birthplace - in Oxfordshire
The following day, he visited Sandhurst with Theresa May before the pair moved on to Chequers for a working lunch and crunch talks on a range of international issues.
Trump rejoined Melania and headed to Windsor Castle for a meeting with the Queen at the dais in the Quadrangle of the historic royal residence in Berkshire.
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Donald Trump waves to protesters while he plays golf at Turnberry
The US national anthem was played on his arrival and neither Trump nor Melania bowed or curtsied when they met Her Majesty, even though it is usually customary to do so.
During an exclusive interview with The Sun ahead of the meeting, he praised the Queen as a "tremendous woman".
Mr Trump’s Scottish-born mum Mary was an obsessive fan of the Queen, he said.
He added: “My mother loved the Queen. Any time the Queen was on television, my mother wanted to watch it.”
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Following tea with the Queen, Trump and Melania headed to Scotland for a round of golf at his Turnberry resort.
He set out for the greens with his son Eric as the pair took in a round - and waved at those calling out to him on the course.
At the end of the weekend, Trump jetted off to Helsinki to meet Russia's leader Vladimir Putin.
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