Watch: Starmer looking on, Trump calls London mayor Sadiq Khan ‘nasty’; UK leader defends him as...

US President Donald Trump reignited his feud with London Mayor Sadiq Khan during a press conference in Scotland alongside British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who stepped in and defended Khan as “a friend of mine.”

When asked if he planned to visit London during his upcoming state visit in September, Trump replied, “I’m not a fan of your mayor. I think he’s done a terrible job.” He went on to call Khan “a nasty person,” prompting Starmer’s brief response, “He’s a friend of mine, actually.”

Unfazed, Trump further went back and forth saying, “I think he’s done a terrible job. But I would certainly visit London.”

'I am not a fan of the London mayor. I think he has done a terrible job. He's a nasty person.'

US President Donald Trump launches into attack on Sadiq Khan during his UK visit

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The animosity between Trump and Khan—both of whom have clashed repeatedly since 2016—is long-standing. Khan, a Labour politician like Starmer, has often criticised Trump, particularly over his stance on immigration and his travel ban targeting several Muslim-majority nations.

In return, Trump has lashed out at Khan on multiple occasions, calling him a “stone cold loser,” “very dumb,” and accusing him of doing a “very bad job on terrorism.”

Khan, who is the first Muslim to lead a Western capital, has said Trump’s attacks are rooted in bias. “He’s come for me because of, let’s be frank, my ethnicity and my religion,” Khan said in a podcast prior to Trump’s 2024 re-election.

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However, following Trump’s win, Khan told AFP that “the American people have spoken loudly and clearly” and that the election result must be respected.

Responding to Trump’s latest remarks, a spokesperson for Khan issued a statement Monday saying the mayor was “delighted that President Trump wants to come to the greatest city in the world,” adding: “He’d see how our diversity makes us stronger not weaker; richer, not poorer.”