U.S. President Donald Trump arrived on his state visit to Britain yesterday in a combative mood, following up his weekend interventions over Brexit with a broadside against London’s “loser” mayor.

The president’s plane had not even touched down when he tweeted that Sadiq Khan, who has been highly critical of the red-carpet welcome laid on for Trump, had done a “terrible job.”

The president called the mayor a “stone cold loser” before adding: “In any event, I look forward to being a great friend to the United Kingdom, and am looking very much forward to my visit.”

Britain is in turmoil with Prime Minister Theresa May due to step down within weeks over her handling of her country’s exit from the European Union.

Where other leaders may have treaded lightly, Trump weighed in, declaring before he arrived that former foreign minister Boris Johnson would make an “excellent” choice to succeed May.

In a round of British newspaper interviews, he also recommended her successor walk away from talks with Brussels, refuse to pay Britain’s agreed divorce bill and leave the EU with no deal.

The much vaunted U.K.-U.S. “special relationship” was already under strain over different approaches to Iran and climate change, as well as Trump’s personal politics.

Labour’s Khan has led opposition to the three-day visit, condemning Trump’s “divisive behavior” and saying he was “one of the most egregious examples” of a growing global threat from the far-right.

Large protests were planned in London, while opposition politicians were also boycotting the state banquet last night.

On Wednesday, May and Trump will join other world leaders in the English port of Portsmouth to commemorate 75 years since the D-Day landings, which changed the course of World War II. (SD-Agencies)