The mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, called Donald Trump “Islamophobic” and “racist” on Wednesday after the US president appeared to suggest the British politician wanted to introduce sharia law in the UK’s capital city.
Khan, of the center-left Labour Party, and Trump, a Republican, have been exchanging insults for years, with the latest escalation originating from remarks the president made at the United Nations this week.
“I think President Trump has shown he is racist, he is sexist, he is misogynistic, and he is Islamophobic,” the Mayor of London told Sky News.
During his speech to the UN General Assembly in New York on Tuesday, Trump stated, “I look at London, where you have a terrible mayor, a 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, referring to the Islamic law code based on the teachings of the Koran.
Last week, Labour Prime Minister Keir Starmer made an unprecedented second state visit to the UK to try to stay in Trump’s good books.
Khan, London’s mayor since 2001, stated that London is at the top of many indicators, such as foreign investment, and is “really proud that we are the greatest city in the world.”
Earlier on Wednesday, government minister Pat McFadden said the US President was “misreading” London. Khan is Muslim.
The US President has described Khan as a “stone-cold loser” and previously challenged him to an IQ test.
“I think I’ve got squatters’ rights for the amount of time I’ve spent in Donald Trump’s head,” Khan told ITV London on Wednesday.
“I’m just hoping he doesn’t send me an invoice for all the time I’ve spent there.”
