London Mayor Sadiq Khan has hit back at Donald Trump, accusing the former U.S. president of being “racist, sexist, misogynistic and Islamophobic.”
The clash follows comments Trump made during his speech to the UN General Assembly in New York, where he slammed Khan as a “terrible, terrible mayor” and claimed London was moving toward “Sharia law.”
Speaking to BBC London, Khan said he believed Trump’s obsession with him had more to do with who he is than what he does.
“People wonder why this Muslim mayor of a diverse, liberal, and successful city seems to be living rent-free in Donald Trump’s head,” Khan said.
He went further, arguing that Trump’s words and behavior speak for themselves: “When people say and do certain things consistently, you’ve got to believe them. And Donald Trump has shown he’s racist, sexist, misogynistic, and Islamophobic.”
Khan dismissed Trump’s claim that he’s a “terrible mayor,” pointing instead to London’s global appeal. “We’re proud that record numbers of Americans are visiting our city. By many measures, London is still seen as the number one city in the world for culture.”
Pushback in the UK
Cabinet minister Pat McFadden defended Khan, saying Trump’s suggestion that the UK is heading toward Sharia law is “nonsense.” He reminded people that only British law applies in the UK.
Justice minister Sarah Sackman echoed that view earlier this month in Parliament, making clear that Sharia law is not part of England and Wales’ legal system. While religious councils—including Sharia councils, Beth Din tribunals in the Jewish community, and Church of England courts—exist, their rulings are not legally binding and only apply to matters like marriage, faith, or internal disputes.
Farage weighs in
Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK and a longtime Trump ally, offered a mixed view. Speaking on LBC, he warned not to take Trump’s words literally, but to take them “seriously.” He admitted that while Sharia “exists in parts of London,” it isn’t a major issue, and Khan has no direct connection to it.
Farage argued Trump’s broader message was about the West losing its culture and identity.
A long-running feud
Trump and Khan’s feud goes back years. In 2019, Trump called Khan a “stone cold loser.” He’s also mocked him over his handling of terror attacks in London, challenged him to an IQ test, and during a Scotland trip this summer, branded him “a nasty person.”
Still, not everyone in UK politics is joining Trump’s attacks. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, sitting alongside Trump during his July visit, stepped in to defend Khan: “He’s a friend of mine, actually.”
Photo by U.S. Embassy London, Wikimedia commons.
