NBC News chief foreign correspondent Richard Engel on Tuesday said President Trump Donald John TrumpBiden on Trump's refusal to commit to peaceful transfer of power: 'What country are we in?' Romney: 'Unthinkable and unacceptable' to not commit to peaceful transition of power Two Louisville police officers shot amid Breonna Taylor grand jury protests MORE "sounded delusional" when he referred to “thousands” of people cheering him in London.

The president "sounds like he has been in a different city" than the NBC crew covering Trump's first state visit to the United Kingdom, Engel said.

Trump sounded delusional when he said there were thousands welcoming him in London. I didnt see them. And that small crowds of protestors were put out for political reasons. These not are some frog marched, bussed in protesters. pic.twitter.com/nf0BMRaCPs — Richard Engel (@RichardEngel) June 4, 2019

The commentary came after Trump characterized reports of large protests as “fake news" during a press conference with British Prime Minister Theresa May Theresa Mary MayAre US-Japan relations on the rocks? Trump insulted UK's May, called Germany's Merkel 'stupid' in calls: report Bolton says Boris Johnson is 'playing Trump like a fiddle' MORE.



“There were thousands of people on the streets cheering,” Trump told reporters on Tuesday. "It was tremendous spirit and love."

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"There was great love, it was an alliance. And I didn’t see the protesters until just a little while ago, and it was a very small group of people put in for political reasons. So it was fake news," he added.



Engel disputed the president's account while speaking with "Today" co-host Savannah Guthrie.



“The protesters have been circulating through downtown London,” Engel said. “Listening to President Trump, he sounds like he has been in a different city than we have been in. We have not seen thousands of people out on the streets welcoming President Trump.”



“That sounded to be somewhat delusional,” Engel added. “Instead, we have seen thousands of people expressing their opposition to President Trump. They say they don’t want him here.”



An anti-Brexit activist group called Led by Donkeys posted a photo on Twitter this week of a projection on the Tower of London of a YouGov poll showing former President Obama's approval rating at 72 percent in the U.K. compared to 21 percent for Trump.