As the long-running feud between US President Donald Trump and London Mayor Sadiq Khan ramps up following a shocking Sharia law claim, here’s everything that’s been said so far
US President Donald Trump has sparked yet more controversy with his unfounded comments about the Labour Mayor of London, Sir Sadiq Khan.
POTUS, who has long criticised left-leaning Sir Sadiq, launched what has been blasted as a “bigoted” attack against the politician, who has served as London’s mayor since 2016, in a divisive address made before the UN General Assembly.
The 79-year-old president, who has just wrapped up a state visit to the UK, made a number of dubious claims in his UN speech on topics such as climate change and immigration, including his boast that he has “ended seven wars.” For Brits, however, the attack on Sir Sadiq stood out as particularly startling.
In an offensive outburst that has been widely condemned by members of parliament, President Trump implied that Sir Sadiq wanted to “go to Sharia law.” Here’s everything you need to know about Trump’s outburst as the London mayor hits back.
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Unfounded tirade
President Trump told members of the assembly: “I look at London, where you have a terrible mayor, terrible, terrible mayor, and it’s been changed, it’s been so changed. Now they want to go to Sharia law. But you are in a different country, you can’t do that.”
He added, “Both their immigration and their suicidal energy ideas will be the death of Western Europe.”
Sharia, which means “the clear, well-trodden path to water” in Arabic, refers to the code of living adhered to by those practising the Islamic faith. These teachings come from the Quran, as well as the words and deeds of the Prophet Muhammad.
As the first Muslim mayor at the helm of the capital, former human rights lawyer Sir Sadiq has been the focus of a number of prejudiced claims and right-wing conspiracy theories over the years. There is no evidence whatsoever to suggest that Sir Sadiq wishes to enforce Sharia law in London.
‘Sexist, misogynistic, and Islamophobic’
In a fresh development in the row, Sir Sadiq has branded Mr Trump racist, sexist, and Islamophobic in a new statement.
The mayor said today that he appears to “live rent-free” in the US president’s head, quipping: “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 squatter’s 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.”
Pressed if he thought Mr Trump was Islamphoboic, he said: “I think President Trump has shown he is racist, he is sexist, he is misogynistic, and he is Islamophobic.”
Asked about the President calling him a terrible mayor, and whether he was a terrible mayor, he said: “Well, listen, I’m just thankful that we have record numbers of Americans coming to London.
“Since records began, there’s never been a period when more Americans have come to London. There must be a reason for that. You look at a number of different criteria.
“We’re often the number one city in the globe when it comes to culture, when it comes to foreign investment, when it comes to sports, when it comes to the ability of people to fulfill their potential. I’m really proud that we are the brightest city in the world and long may that continue.”
It’s a change in tact from the mayor as last night, in response to Trumps’ attack, a spokesperson for Sir Sadiq said: “We are not going to dignify his appalling and bigoted comments with a response.”
They added: “London is the greatest city in the world, safer than major US cities, and we’re delighted to welcome the record number of US citizens moving here.”
Long-running feud
This isn’t the first time that President Trump has lashed out against Sir Sadiq. Just last week, POTUS claimed that Sir Sadiq ranked “among the worst mayors in the world,” saying that he’d asked that he not be present at the recent state banquet hosted by King Charles III at Windsor Castle.
It appears the feud dates right back to 2015, before Trump’s first presidential victory, when Sir Sadiq criticised the Republican candidate after he called for a “total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States” on the grounds of national security, in response to a terrorist attack in California.
In a recent article for The Guardian, Sir Sadiq made his feelings about POTUS crystal clear, writing: “President Donald Trump and his coterie have perhaps done the most to fan the flames of divisive, far-right politics around the world in recent years.
“When he came to the UK on his first state visit, I highlighted how the president had deliberately used xenophobia, racism and ‘otherness’ as an electoral tactic, introducing a travel ban on a number of Muslim-majority countries and praising white nationalists in Charlottesville, Virginia.
“Six years later, the tactics we see from today’s White House seem no different. Scapegoating minorities, illegally deporting US citizens, deploying the military to the streets of diverse cities. These actions aren’t just inconsistent with Western values – they’re straight out of the autocrat’s playbook.”
Support from fellow politicians
A number of high-profile British politicians have come out in support of Sir Sadiq, including Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Pat McFadden, who has dismissed Trump’s Sharia law claim as a “misreading of our great capital city”.
Appearing on BBC Breakfast today, Mr McFadden said: “Well, I’m here at Selhurst Park, in south London, where we don’t have Sharia law. We have British law. It’s a great capital city we have, I think it’s a great asset we have to the UK. I’m afraid I differ from the President on that.”
He continued: “On the comments on London, I just think it’s a misreading of our great capital city. This is a big asset to the United Kingdom, it’s known all over the world. It’s a big engine of our economy, of creativity. London’s a great city, and I’m proud of it as our capital city, and I think it’s really important to the UK.”
Meanwhile, Health Secretary Wes Streeting asserted that Sir Sadiq was “not trying to impose Sharia law on London” but was “a mayor who marches with Pride, who stands up for difference of background and opinion, who’s focused on improving our transport, our air, our streets, our safety, our choices and chances”.
Senior Labour MP Dame Emily Thornberry, who chairs the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee, also shared: “I’ve known Sadiq Khan for over 30 years. “He’s a feminist, a socialist & an LGBTQ+ ally. I’m so proud he’s our London mayor. For the record, he’s as interested in introducing Sharia law to London as I am – ie 0%. Those who suggest otherwise are deluded, or have a [very] sinister agenda.”
Londoners’ thoughts
Taking to social media platform X as the debacle raged on, Sir Sadiq tweeted: “Ignore the haters. London is the [goat emoji]”.
In his post, the mayor shared a graphic of many of the positive things about the capital, including that it’s “regularly voted the number one city in the world”, boasting “world-leading nightlife” and “world-class transport”.
This image also celebrated the “incredible diversity” of the capital, which Sir Sadiq praised as a “place for everyone”.
A number of Londoners came forward to support the mayor. Internet personality Jack Dart tweeted: “I am not a Labour voter, but what Trump says about Sadiq Khan is rubbish. He keeps pushing the line that London is broken and that Khan is to blame.
“I live here. I do not just stick to the west of the city where I live, I move around and see it as a whole. London is alive, busy, and brilliant. It is nothing like the picture painted by Trump or the right. Trump is not confused; he knows what he is doing. He plays up division because it suits him.”
Meanwhile, commentator Jason Reid wrote: “Donald Trump makes up sharia law nonsense about London because of its muslim mayor, nothing more to it than naked islamophobia.
“Sadiq Khan and Londoners refuse to bow down to Trump, and it eats him up so so much because he’s a giant f***** baby.”
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