US President Donald Trump reignited his long-running feud with London Mayor Sadiq Khan on Monday, calling him a “nasty person” who has “done a terrible job” as leader of the British capital. The sharp remarks came during a press conference held at the Trump Turnberry golf resort in South Ayrshire, where the president is currently on a four-day informal summer visit.
“I’m not a fan of your mayor,” Trump told reporters. “I think he’s done a terrible job, the mayor of London… a nasty person.”
Sitting beside the president at the press conference, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer appeared momentarily uncomfortable before stepping in to defend Khan. “He’s a friend of mine, actually,” Starmer said.
In response to Trump’s renewed attack, a spokesperson for Mayor Sadiq Khan said the mayor was “delighted that President Trump wants to come to the greatest city in the world.”
“He’d see how our diversity makes us stronger not weaker; richer, not poorer,” the spokesperson added. “Perhaps these are the reasons why a record number of Americans have applied for British citizenship under his presidency.”
Trump’s comments come just weeks after he formally accepted an invitation from King Charles III to return to the UK for a second state visit—an unprecedented gesture. The visit is scheduled to take place from September 17 to 19, with the president and First Lady Melania Trump expected to be hosted at Windsor Castle.
Although the White House has labeled the Scotland trip as “private,” with the main purpose being visits to his golf courses in Aberdeenshire and South Ayrshire, the president has used the opportunity to weigh in on UK politics and renew old rivalries.
This is not the first time Trump has lashed out at Khan. In 2019, he called the London mayor a “stone cold loser” just after landing at Stansted Airport for a previous state visit. The insult came in response to Khan’s public criticism of Trump’s planned visit and his handling of key issues, including the London Bridge terror attack in 2017. Trump at one point even challenged the mayor to an IQ test.
Sadiq Khan, who was re-elected for a third term as mayor in 2024, has consistently pushed back against Trump’s comments, branding them divisive and out of step with London’s values.
Chioma Kalu
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