The mayor of London has hit back after being criticised by Donald Trump, saying it is “absurd” he has attracted so much attention from the US president.
Sir Sadiq Khan told the Big Issue magazine that London is the “antithesis” of all Mr Trump believes in. He said: “It’s absurd that President Trump is obsessed with me. It’s like I’m living rent-free inside this guy’s head for 10 years now.
“President Trump, objectively speaking, is a nativist. He’s a protectionist and a unilateralist. He believes in mono-ethnicism. He believes in the superiority of his religion, Christianity, and of Americans.
“Look at London. A city that is progressive, liberal, diverse, multicultural and the greatest city in the world. So we are the antithesis of all he believes in.
“So I can understand why he wants to spread disinformation about this dystopian version of London because Londoners have chosen this guy who’s a Muslim of Pakistani origin.”
The mayor said the president’s rhetoric is dangerous, adding: “The problem is, he’s brought into the mainstream views that should be in the periphery.”
The relationship between Sir Sadiq Khan and Donald Trump has been strained for more than a decade, with repeated clashes over politics, security and immigration. Tensions first emerged in 2015 when Khan criticised Trump’s proposed travel ban on Muslims as “outrageous”, while Trump later warned he would “remember those statements” after Khan was elected Mayor of London in 2016.
The feud escalated further after Trump entered the White House, with sharp exchanges over terror attacks in London in 2017 and Trump accusing Khan of failing to properly address crime and security in the capital.
Khan, meanwhile, accused Trump of ignorance on Islam and later called him a “racist” in 2019, following further comments from the US president about London and his political interventions in UK affairs. Trump in turn has repeatedly described Khan in personal terms, including calling him a “stone cold loser” and criticising his leadership during official visits to the UK.
More recently, the exchanges have continued alongside Trump’s return to office. In 2023 and 2024, Khan warned about the implications of another Trump presidency, while also signalling a willingness to work with him after his re-election.
In 2025 and into 2026, Trump again intensified his criticism during high-profile visits and interviews, describing London as “very different” and repeating claims about Khan’s leadership. Khan has consistently responded by defending London’s diversity and rejecting what he calls divisive rhetoric, with both sides continuing to trade barbs in public statements.