Forgetting past dislike of Trump, UK’s Johnson calls July visit ‘greatest ever’

The U.K. Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson on Thursday welcomed the announcement of Donald Trump's visit to Britain on July 13, despite making harsh statements about the U.S. president in the past.

In a tweet following the announcement, Johnson called it "fantastic news."

"Looking forward to seeing our closest ally and friend on the GREATest visit ever," he wrote.

Several years ago, however, Johnson's opinion of Trump seemed less favorable.

In 2015, in response to Trump's claim that some areas of London have become so radicalized that police fear for their lives, then-mayor of the British capital Johnson said: "The only reason I wouldn't visit some parts of New York is the real risk of meeting Donald Trump." He called Trump's comments "complete and utter nonsense."

A couple of months later, in March 2016, Johnson said he was "genuinely worried that [Trump] could become president."

He also recalled being once mistaken for Trump in New York, describing the incident as "one of the worst moments."