Overview
- In a Politico interview published Dec. 9, President Trump called Sadiq Khan “a horrible, vicious, disgusting mayor” and said London is “a different place.”
- Trump asserted Khan “gets elected because so many people have come in,” linking the mayor’s success to migrants voting for him.
- Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy and Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper rejected the attack, praising Khan’s record on housing, transport and community safety.
- After initially sidestepping on Tuesday, the prime minister’s spokesperson on Wednesday said the comments were “wrong,” lauding Khan’s achievements and calling him a friend.
- Sadiq Khan condemned the president as racist and Islamophobic, as Trump also broadened his critique to Europe in line with harder-edged U.S. security messaging that has unsettled European officials.