Sadiq Khan with a plaque
Sadiq Khan, shown here in 2023 unveiling one of the rainbow plaques installed around London GREATER LONDON AUTHORITY

When Donald Trump used his address to the United Nations General Assembly to brand Sadiq Khan a 'terrible, terrible mayor' and claim London was heading towards Sharia law, many expected the city's leader to respond with sharp condemnation.

Instead, Khan combined humour and defiance. He joked that Trump 'has a crush' on him, while also accusing the US president of racism and Islamophobia. The exchange highlighted their long-running feud and reignited debate about London's place on the world stage.

Trump's Remarks at the UN

In New York, Trump claimed London had declined under Khan's leadership and suggested it was adopting foreign legal traditions. 'I look at London, where you have a terrible mayor, terrible, terrible mayor, and it's been so changed. Now they want to go to Sharia law ... but you're in a different country, you can't do that,' he said, according to The Guardian.

A spokesperson for Khan initially said the mayor would 'not dignify his appalling and bigoted comments with a response,' according to CBS News.

Khan's Counterattack

Khan addressed the row at the launch of the Bakerloop BL1, a new electric express bus service connecting Waterloo and Lewisham. Asked by Metro about Trump's remarks, he replied: 'People will be wondering what it is about this Muslim mayor who leads a liberal, multicultural, successful, diverse city. It seems to me that I'm living rent free inside Donald Trump's head.'

Pressed on why Trump seemed preoccupied with him, Khan added, 'I think he's got a crush on me. It's either that or he believes in giving me squatters' rights inside his head.'

Later, in an interview with Sky News, Khan accused Trump of being 'racist, sexist, misogynistic and Islamophobic'. He said the remarks reflected a wider pattern in the president's rhetoric and urged political leaders to take his words at face value.

Westminster Reaction

The row drew swift responses in Westminster. Pat McFadden, the Work and Pensions Secretary, told BBC Breakfast the remarks were based on 'a beef' Trump had with Khan stretching back years. He called the attack 'a misreading of our great capital city', describing London as a major engine of the UK's economy and culture.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting also defended Khan, highlighting his record on diversity and inclusion. Labour MPs urged Prime Minister Keir Starmer's government to reject Trump's comments more forcefully, with several describing them as Islamophobic.

Fact-checkers noted there is no evidence Khan has ever sought to introduce Sharia law into London's legal system. Sharia councils in the UK operate only in limited religious arbitration roles, with no binding legal authority.

​​Broader Significance

Trump's suggestion that London was heading towards Sharia law and his description of Khan as a 'terrible mayor' may have been intended as rhetorical attacks. Khan's response, however, combined humour with sharp criticism and a defence of London's international standing.

The dispute is the latest chapter in a feud dating back to Trump's first term in office. For Trump, the intervention added to a record of provocative remarks on the world stage. For Khan, it was a chance to counter with humour, reassert London's resilience, and position the city as a symbol of diversity and global appeal.

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