Donald Trump has claimed he personally requested that London mayor Sadiq Khan not be invited to the state banquet during his UK state visit, reigniting their long-running feud.
Speaking to reporters on Air Force One as he returned to the US, the former president said: “I didn’t want him there. I asked that he not be there.”
Trump accused Khan of being “among the worst mayors in the world,” alleging that crime in London was “through the roof” and describing him as a “disaster” on immigration.
According to Trump, Khan had expressed interest in attending the banquet but was excluded at his request. “He wanted to be there. As I understand it, I didn’t want it. I’ve not liked him for a long time,” he added.
The state banquet, hosted by the King at Windsor Castle, was attended by senior royals, government ministers and international dignitaries. Khan’s absence drew attention, though Downing Street has not confirmed whether Trump’s intervention played a role.
The comments mark the latest escalation in a feud dating back to 2016, when Khan criticised Trump’s proposed “Muslim ban.” Trump later accused Khan of failing to tackle terrorism and violent crime, while Khan has repeatedly branded Trump’s rhetoric as “childish” and “dangerous.”
UK reaction
A spokesperson for Khan said, “The mayor will not be losing sleep over Donald Trump’s comments. His focus remains on making London safer, fairer and more prosperous for everyone who lives here.”
Labour MPs rallied around the mayor, with shadow cabinet members accusing Trump of “picking fights” and “disrespecting the UK.” One Labour MP told the BBC the episode showed Trump “treats international diplomacy like a reality show.”
Senior Conservatives struck a more cautious tone. A government source said it was “not unusual” for guest lists at state events to be tightly controlled, but added: “The UK government did not seek to exclude the Mayor of London.”
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey accused Trump of “undermining Britain’s values of tolerance and respect” and said it was “deeply troubling” that a foreign leader could dictate who attends state occasions.
Feud likely to continue.
Khan has not directly responded to Trump’s latest remarks but has previously accused him of seeking to “divide communities” and “import his politics of hate into Britain.”
With Trump once again standing as the Republican nominee for the US presidency, the renewed clash highlights the potential strain a second Trump term could place on relations with UK political leaders.
