Key Points:

US President Donald Trump criticized London Mayor Sadiq Khan during a press conference held in Scotland alongside UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. When asked by a reporter about a possible visit to London in September, Trump confirmed his plans but used the opportunity to renew his criticism of Khan.

"I'm not a fan of your mayor. I think he's done a terrible job," Trump said. He added:

Prime Minister Starmer responded by defending Khan, stating, "He's a friend of mine, actually."

Trump reiterated his disapproval of Khan’s performance, he further added "I think he's done a terrible job. But I would certainly visit London." 

Sadiq Khan’s spokesperson later issued a response, welcoming Trump’s interest in visiting London. “He’d see how our diversity makes us stronger, not weaker; richer, not poorer,” the spokesperson said. The statement also referenced the rise in applications for British citizenship by Americans during Trump’s presidency.

The exchange is the latest in a long-standing conflict between Trump and Khan. In 2019, Trump called Khan a “stone cold loser” on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter. 

The dispute began during Trump’s first term, when Khan criticized the US travel ban on several Muslim-majority countries. Trump responded by accusing Khan of mishandling terrorism in London.

Khan, who became the first Muslim mayor of a major Western capital in 2016, has previously stated that Trump’s comments are driven by racial and religious bias. In a podcast recorded ahead of the 2024 US presidential election, Khan said, “He's come for me because of, let's be frank, my ethnicity and my religion.” Trump’s visit to the UK is expected to proceed as planned, despite the renewed tensions. [Rh/Eth/VS]

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