Donald Trump has repeatedly attacked London mayor Sadiq Khan over a number of years, using very harsh language about his character and record. The comments span both his earlier presidency and his current term.
Main insults and labels
Trump has called Sadiq Khan a “nasty person” and said he has done “a terrible job” as mayor when asked about visiting London during a news conference in Scotland alongside UK prime minister Keir Starmer. In earlier and later remarks, he has also described Khan as “horrible, vicious, disgusting,” “incompetent,” a “disaster,” and “one of the worst mayors in the world.”
Comments about London and migration
Trump has linked his criticism of Khan to broader attacks on migration and crime in London, claiming Khan was elected because “so many people have come in” to the UK and asserting that London is “a different place” due to immigration. He has accused Khan of doing a “very bad job on terrorism” and has previously told him to focus on crime in London rather than criticizing US policy.
Accusations about “sharia law”
In recent comments, Trump has made unfounded allegations that Khan wants London to “go to sharia law” or is trying to enforce Islamic law in the city. These remarks have been widely reported as part of a renewed feud and have drawn condemnation from UK political figures.
Khan’s responses
Khan has pushed back by calling Trump “racist, sexist, misogynistic and Islamophobic,” and has suggested that Trump targets him because of his ethnicity and Muslim faith. He has also said Trump is “obsessed” with him while insisting that London’s diversity makes it stronger and that it remains “the greatest city in the world.”