London – Former US President Donald Trump has renewed his attacks on London Mayor Sadiq Khan, linking him to “Sharia law” and calling him a “terrible mayor” during a speech at the United Nations. Khan, the first Muslim mayor of London, said Trump’s remarks expose deep-rooted prejudice.
Speaking to BBC London, Khan said Trump’s words showed he was “racist, sexist, misogynistic, and Islamophobic.” He questioned why his identity as a Muslim leader of a multicultural and successful city seemed to provoke Trump. “People are wondering what it is about this Muslim mayor that means I appear to be living rent-free inside Donald Trump’s head,” he remarked.
Trump’s criticism of Khan is not new. He has previously called him a “stone-cold loser,” challenged him to an IQ test, and condemned his response to the 2017 London Bridge attack. In July, Trump described Khan as “a nasty person” during a visit to Scotland and excluded him from a state banquet hosted by the King.
British leaders defended Khan after Trump’s UN remarks. Cabinet minister Pat McFadden said British law alone applies in the UK and dismissed claims of Sharia law. Justice minister Sarah Sackman clarified that Sharia councils function only in voluntary religious matters, similar to Christian and Jewish tribunals, and their rulings are not legally binding.
Khan, re-elected for a third term in 2024, responded by pointing to record American tourism in London and the city’s standing as a global cultural capital.
