Sir Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, has revealed that death threats against him increased by 2,000 percent after Donald Trump was elected president. In an interview with Republica, Khan stated, "It's never nice having death threats and requiring police protection... We did some analysis and when President Trump got elected, the amount of threats I received went up 2,000 percent. When he was elected the second time, it's gone up by 100 percent."
Personal and Family Impact
Khan emphasized the difficulty this situation poses for him personally, as well as for his family and friends. The mayor has required police protection due to the heightened threats. He noted that the analysis clearly shows a correlation between Trump's elections and the spike in threats.
Ongoing Animosity with Trump
The relationship between Khan and Trump has been fraught with tension for years. In December last year, Trump claimed that Khan was elected "because so many people have come in," a remark Khan dismissed as unclear, stating it was up to Trump to explain himself. Khan also expressed confusion about why Trump is "obsessed with the leadership of London."
During Trump's second state visit to the UK in September 2025, he criticized Khan as being "among the worst mayors in the world." Trump also indicated he did not want Khan to attend a state banquet held in his honor, though reports suggested Khan neither expected nor sought an invitation.
Sharia Law Accusation
In a speech at the United Nations last year, Trump accused Khan of wanting to impose sharia law on London. This comment was part of a broader address targeting immigration, asylum, and European leaders. Khan responded by labeling Trump a "racist, misogynist, and Islamophobe."
Khan's Response
Speaking to ITV, Khan said, "People will be wondering what it is about this Muslim mayor who leads a liberal, multicultural, successful city, that means I seem to be living rent free inside Donald Trump's head." He added, "I think I've got squatters rights, the amount of time I spend in Donald Trump's head. I'm just hoping he doesn't send me an invoice for all the time I'm in there."
When asked why Trump criticizes London, Khan pointed to the city being "progressive, liberal, diverse, multicultural, and incredibly successful."
