In a fiery broadside, former US President Donald Trump has branded London's Mayor, Sadiq Khan, as "one of the worst mayors in the world." The explosive comments were made during a recent interview, where Trump also made the extraordinary claim that he personally intervened to block the Mayor from attending a formal state visit to the United States.
The verbal assault, delivered from his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, escalates a long-running and very public feud between the two prominent figures. Trump's criticism focused on Khan's leadership, particularly on issues of crime and policing in the capital.
Trump stated: "I think he's one of the worst mayors in the world. He's terrible. I blocked him from coming to the United States on a state visit. The Prime Minister asked me to do him a favour. 'Would you allow him to come?' I said: 'No, I won't allow him to come'."
This allegation suggests a direct request from a UK Prime Minister—believed to be Theresa May—to include Mayor Khan in a diplomatic delegation, which Trump says he outright refused. The claim adds a new layer of intrigue to the complex diplomatic dealings between the two nations during Trump's term in office.
The animosity between Trump and Khan is well-documented, dating back to the President's first official visit to the UK in 2018. Mayor Khan was a vocal critic of Trump's policies, most notably the so-called "Muslim ban," and approved a giant blimp depicting the former president as an angry baby that flew over Parliament during the visit.
City Hall has yet to issue a formal response to these latest remarks. However, this very public spat highlights the ongoing tensions and the profound impact of Trump's political style on international relations, even after leaving the White House.
