AS DONALD Trump touched down in the UK for a three-day state visit, Mark Drakeford has said his role as US president should be respected - despite finding many of his views "deeply distasteful".

Mr Trump arrived in the UK on Monday and immediately sparked criticism by describing London mayor Sadiq Khan a "stone cold loser" on Twitter.

But, speaking at a press conference on Monday morning, first minister Mr Drakeford said it was important to draw a distinction between "the office and the individual".

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"The office of the president of the United States is a very important one and one which must be treated with the proper respect," he said. "Individual post holders come and go - the office goes on.

"The holder of the presidency of the United States is an individual whose views I often find deeply distasteful, but that does not mean the office itself must not be respected because that represents the democracy which is the United States and its importance in the world."

He added: "The visit is for the president, whoever the president happens to be.

"That is something you have to respect - that does not mean at all that you have to concur with the views of the person who happens to hold those views."

"This particular president strays far too often into language which is provocative, which shows a sympathy with a set of views with which we would have no truck with as a Welsh Government."

Mr Trump is not due to visit Wales or meet representatives of the Welsh Government during his visit.

Responding to the president's criticisms, Mr Khan's office accused Mr Trump of offering "childish insults which should be beneath the president of the United States".