Mr Trump called Mr Khan one of the “worst mayors in the world” during his flight back to the US.
A close aide to Sadiq Khan has hit back at Donald Trump’s scathing remarks about the London Mayor, accusing the former US President of spreading “fear and division” during his second state visit to the UK.
The war of words reignited after Mr Trump, speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on his return to the United States, branded Mr Khan “one of the worst mayors in the world.” He also claimed he had personally ensured that the London Mayor was excluded from the lavish state banquet at Windsor Castle, hosted by King Charles.
“I asked that he not be there. He wanted to be there, as I understand, I didn’t want him,” Mr Trump told reporters.
But an insider close to Mr Khan rejected the claim outright, saying the Mayor neither sought nor expected an invitation.
“Trump’s politics is one of fear and division. This includes talking down our great capital city,” the source said.
“London is a global success story – it’s open, dynamic and safer than major US cities. Perhaps that’s one of the reasons record numbers of Americans are choosing to make London their home.”
The animosity between the two leaders is not new. Their feud dates back to 2015 when Mr Khan, then a rising Labour figure, condemned Trump’s proposal to ban Muslims from entering the United States.
Relations worsened in 2017 after the London Bridge terror attack, when Trump criticised Khan’s handling of the crisis. By 2018, tensions escalated further when activists, with City Hall’s approval, launched the infamous “Trump Baby” blimp during the President’s UK visit—a move that infuriated the White House.
Trump has repeatedly accused Khan of failing to tackle violent crime in London, while Khan has accused the former president of undermining democratic values and dividing communities.
Trump’s Fresh Attack
Speaking in unusually personal terms during his flight home, Trump told reporters:
“I think he’s done a terrible job. Crime in London is through the roof. I have a certain pride in London and the UK. My mother was born in Scotland, as you know. And when I see Mayor Khan do a bad job, the stabbings and the dirt and the filth, it’s not the same.”
The comments mark the latest flashpoint in a bitter, years-long transatlantic feud that shows no sign of cooling.
