London, September 19, 2025: U.S. President Donald Trump has reignited his long-running feud with London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan, claiming he personally asked that the mayor not be invited to the state banquet hosted by King Charles at Windsor Castle during his recent visit to the United Kingdom.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on his return to Washington, Trump described Khan as “among the worst mayors in the world” and accused him of mismanaging London.
“I think the Mayor of London Khan is among the worst mayors in the world, and we have some bad ones,” Trump said. “I think he’s done a terrible job. Crime in London is through the roof. I asked that he not be there. He wanted to be there, as I understand. I didn’t want him.”
Sir Sadiq Khan, however, swiftly responded with a message of defiance. Posting a video on social media platform X, he wrote: “Hate will never win in London.” The mayor’s camp also dismissed Trump’s criticism, saying he neither sought nor expected an invitation to the Windsor banquet.
“Trump’s politics is one of fear and division. This includes talking down our great capital city,” a source close to Khan said. “London is a global success story — it’s open, dynamic, and safer than major U.S. cities. Perhaps that’s one of the reasons record numbers of Americans are choosing to make London their home.”
Khan’s emphasis on London’s diversity and resilience reflects his broader message throughout years of sparring with Trump — that the city rejects divisive rhetoric and remains committed to inclusivity.
The war of words is the latest episode in a feud dating back to 2015, when Khan condemned Trump’s proposal to ban Muslims from entering the U.S. Since then, the two leaders have traded barbs repeatedly. Trump once challenged Khan to an IQ test, and in 2019 called him a “stone-cold loser.”
Khan, for his part, has accused Trump of fueling far-right politics. He also permitted the famous “Trump baby” blimp to fly over London during Trump’s first state visit to the UK in 2019. More recently, in July 2025, Trump called Khan a “nasty person” during a press conference in Scotland, prompting Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to interject: “He’s a friend of mine, actually.”
