London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan has accused U.S. President Donald Trump of being “racist, sexist, misogynistic and Islamophobic” after the president used his speech at the United Nations General Assembly in New York to criticize him.
Speaking on Tuesday, Trump told world leaders that London had “a terrible, terrible mayor” and suggested the city was moving toward “Sharia law.”
Khan, the first Muslim mayor of London, responded forcefully in an interview with BBC London. “People are wondering what it is about this Muslim mayor who leads a liberal, multi-cultural, progressive and successful city, that means I appear to be living rent-free inside Donald Trump’s head,” he said. “I think President Trump has shown he is racist, he is sexist, he is misogynistic and he is Islamophobic.”
Clashing Narratives
Khan dismissed Trump’s attack on his record, noting that London continues to attract “record numbers of Americans” and frequently ranks as one of the top cities in the world for culture.
Cabinet minister Pat McFadden defended Khan on Wednesday, rejecting Trump’s suggestion about Sharia law in London. “British law and no other kind of law applies in the UK,” he said. Justice Minister Sarah Sackman reiterated in Parliament earlier this month that Sharia law has no standing in England and Wales, though voluntary religious councils—similar to Christian, Jewish, and Catholic faith tribunals—handle matters like marriage arbitration.
Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK and a longtime Trump ally, urged caution, saying Trump’s remarks should not be taken literally but always seriously. “Is Sharia an issue in London? Yes. Is it overwhelming? No. Has the mayor linked himself to it? No,” Farage said, framing Trump’s comments as part of a wider warning about Western identity.
A Longstanding Feud
Trump and Khan have clashed repeatedly over the years. In 2019, Trump branded him a “stone cold loser.” He has also challenged Khan to an IQ test, mocked his handling of the 2017 London Bridge attack, and, during a July visit to Scotland, called him a “nasty person” who had “done a terrible job.”
Earlier this month, Trump told reporters he did not want Khan at the state banquet at Windsor Castle hosted by the King, later describing him as “among the worst mayors in the world.” Khan did not attend the event and was not expected to.
The animosity was on display again at the UN, where Trump’s remarks forced an awkward moment. Sitting beside the president, British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer intervened, telling Trump, “He’s a friend of mine, actually.”
Religion, Law, and Identity
The renewed row touches on a broader debate in Britain over the role of religious councils, cultural pluralism, and identity politics. While Khan insists London is thriving as a multicultural hub, Trump and his allies frame it as evidence of Western decline.
For Khan, however, the dispute is more personal—and political. “When people act in a certain way, you’ve got to believe them,” he said, arguing that Trump’s rhetoric exposes deeper prejudices.
As both men continue to trade insults, their feud has become emblematic of wider battles over culture, religion, and immigration in a polarized political climate.
