Shuddupa your face

Theresa May could hardly believe her ears. She had been one of the first world leaders to show the newly elected president respect, even inviting him on a state visit. Yet now Trump was on the telephone, beratingCriticising (someone) angrily. her in the most causticSarcastic in a scathing and bitter way. terms - calling her "a fool" and dismissing her approach to Brexit as spineless.

His attitude, according to one of his aides, was "humiliating and bullying".

Britain is not the only allied country whose leader Trump has abused: France's Emmanuel Macron, Canada's Justin Trudeau, and Australia's Scott Morrison have also been in the firing line.

But his most vicious attacks - described by a witness as "near-sadistic" - were directed at two women: May and Angela Merkel. The German chancellor was called "stupid" and accused of being in Russia's pocket - though unlike May, she refused to be ruffled.

Worse, while Trump was alienating America's allies, he was trying to ingratiateBring oneself into favour with someone by flattering or trying to please them. himself with its enemies, such as Vladmir Putin - comparing his own brilliance to the "idiocy" of previous presidents.

These revelations, based on interviews with people who either heard the conversations or read transcripts of them, appear in an explosive article for CNN by Carl Bernstein. White House officials were so concerned by Trump's behaviour, BernsteinAs a reporter on the Washington Post, Bernstein - together with Bob Woodward - uncovered the Watergate scandal, which led to the resignation of President Nixon in 1974. writes, that several believed "the president himself posed a danger to the national security of the United States".

DenigratingCriticising unfairly. opponents is part of any ambitious person's armoury. Indeed, Rosanna Kelly argues in her anthology, The Little Book of Insults: "In politics, the insult is almost an art form."

A memorable turn of phrase can nail someone so perfectly that it comes to define them. Michael HowardLeader of the Conservative Party (2003-2005). Ann Widdecombe's insult was in response to his decision, as home secretary in 1997, to sack the head of the prison service, Derek Lewis.'s chances of becoming Conservative leader in 1997 were arguably ended when Ann WiddecombeA Conservative MP (1987-2010), she became a Brexit MEP in 2019. She has appeared on Strictly Come Dancing and collects soft toys. remarked that there was "something of the night" about him - inspiring many caricatures of Howard as a vampire.

Geoffrey Howe is remembered principally for Dennis HealeyLabour chancellor of the exchequer (1974-1979). Political cartoonists made much of his bushy eyebrows.'s description of being attacked by him in Parliament - "like being savaged by a dead sheep".

As Edwin B Battistella observed in a recent blog: "A good insult is like a caricature, exaggerating a perceived flaw and fixing it in the public's perception with wit." He cites the American politician William McAdooUS secretary of the treasury (1913-1918). He helped avert an economic crisis after WWI., who described President Warren HardingUS president (1921-1923). A passionate supporter of black rights, he believed that education was the key to racial equality.'s speeches as "an army of pompous phrases moving across the landscape in search of an idea".

Senator John RandolphA descendant of Pocahontas, and briefly the US ambassador to Russia.'s verdict on Secretary of State Henry ClayAn unsuccessful presidential candidate in the 1824, 1832, and 1844 elections. He was so irritated by Randolph's insults that he challenged him to a duel, but neither man was hurt and they parted amicably. was even more damning: "So brilliant, yet so corrupt who, like a rotten mackerel by moonlight, shines and stinks."

Trump's insults show none of this mastery of language. Instead, he attaches simple derogatory adjectives to his enemies in the hope that they will stick. He pilloriesAttacks or ridicules publicly. Hillary Clinton as "Crooked Hillary", Bernie Sanders as "Crazy Bernie", and Joe Biden as "Sleepy Joe".

More significantly, he has been able to broadcast his insults more widely than any previous politician through his use of social media.

Do insults work?

Yes. Trump's insults may not be subtle, but his supporters love them, and the "Crooked Hillary" tag almost certainly helped him defeat Clinton. Edwin B Battistella argues that they are effective because they match "our current angry moment. They speak to people who don't want to look things up in dictionaries [...]. They are the trick of the salesman not the statesman".

No. Particularly when they are directed at your allies. Thanks to Trump's behaviour, half of his fellow G7 leaders would like to see the back of him. Trump's negotiations with North Korea have come to nothing, partly due to his branding of Kim Jong-un as "Little Rocket Man".