The U.S. ambassador to the United Kingdom defended America's new embassy in London the morning after President Donald Trump blamed the building as the reason why he canceled a trip to the region.
President Donald Trump tweeted late Thursday night that the new U.S. embassy in London, slated to open its doors next Tuesday, is in an "off location" of the city. He also called out the price tag of more than $1 billion.
On Friday, U.S. Ambassador to the U.K. Woody Johnson published an opinion piece in the Evening Standard bout the new building.
"I agree with President Trump that Grosvenor Square, in the heart of London, was a perfect location for our embassy," Johnson wrote, referencing the soon-to-be-former building. "Security concerns after September 11 meant we had to move to a location that could better protect American citizens and our British neighbors.
"On Tuesday we will open the doors of our brand-new embassy to the general public in Nine Elms, a site selected under a previous administration."
It's been reported that the new embassy's cost was $1.1 billion and was funded entirely by the sale of several American properties in London, including the original embassy in Grosvenor Square. Johnson confirmed that.
"Designed by Philadelphia architects KieranTimberlake, the new embassy is not just bigger, it is better and capable of meeting the complex challenges of the 21st century and beyond," Johnson wrote. "It is the most secure, hi-tech and environmentally friendly embassy that the United States has ever built.
"Purchased and built from the sale of our London properties, the new embassy did not cost the U.S. taxpayer a cent. Yet it is one of the most advanced embassies we have ever built."
Trump's comments about the new embassy brought criticism, with many saying he canceled his planned trip to the U.K. because he would have faced massive protests.
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.