President Donald Trump is ruffling feathers in Britain even before he arrives there for a state visit on Monday.
Stung by Trump's virtual endorsement of wannabe prime minister Boris Johnson, opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn on Saturday slammed the president for "unacceptable interference" in British affairs.
"The next prime minister should be chosen not by the U.S. president ... but by the British people in a general election," said Labour Party leader Corbyn, who is boycotting a state dinner for Trump.
Trump broke precedent by publicly backing right-winger Johnson, who is battling a crowded field of Conservative party rivals to replace Theresa May, who was forced to resign for botching Brexit.
"I think Boris would do a very good job. I think he would be excellent," Trump said.
In a freewheeling interview with the tabloid newspaper The Sun, the president also said he might meet ally Nigel Farage, who is making political hay out of the Conservatives' failure to deliver on its vow to lead Britain out of the European Union.
Trump couldn't resist tossing a barb at Meghan Markle, the American actress who just gave birth to Britain's newest royal baby, Archie.
"I didn't know she was that nasty," said Trump when told about Markle had called him "misogynistic" and "divisive" during his 2016 campaign.
Meghan's husband, Prince Harry, will meet Trump along with Prince William and his wife, Kate Middleton, and their grandmother, Queen Elizabeth.
Trump will also meet with the lame-duck May and preside over ceremonies marking the anniversary of D-Day during the three-day jaunt.
The president is likely to also be met by thousands of protesters. He is extremely unpopular in Britain _ a YouGov poll taken May 19 and 20 found 63% of Britons says he is a poor or terrible president.
