Keir Starmer dismisses Trump's Sharia claim about Sadiq Khan as nonsense

Donald Trump’s assertion that London mayor Sadiq Khan wants to introduce Sharia law was dismissed as nonsense by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Thursday, as the PM sought to defuse a flare-up that has strained the U.S.-U.K. relationship but showed few signs of undermining the two countries’ alliance.

Starmer, speaking after a rambling UN General Assembly appearance by the U.S. president in New York, said the claim was ridiculous and reiterated his support for Khan, a fellow Labour politician, who has faced criticism from Trump in recent days. The prime minister said Khan is “a very good man” who is “driving down serious crime” in London, and he signaled a willingness to engage with Trump in frank talks while keeping faith with the UK capital’s leadership.

In New York, Trump derided London as having a “terrible, terrible mayor” and claimed that London now seeks to adopt Sharia law, telling reporters that neighboring countries operate under different legal regimes. While Starmer acknowledged areas of agreement with Trump in the past, he made clear that the Sharia claim represents a line of disagreement. “There’s a few things we disagree about. This is one of them. The idea of the introduction of Sharia Law is nonsense,” the prime minister said. He added that Khan is “a very good man and actually driving down serious crime,” underscoring his support for the London mayor amid the feud.

During an interview with ITV London on Thursday, Starmer said he would tell Trump in their next conversation that while the countries share a broad, enduring partnership, there are issues on which they will disagree. “We had a good state visit last week, but on this I disagree with him on the Sharia law comments,” Starmer said, underscoring that the remarks were “ridiculous.” He also affirmed the value of the UK’s alliance with the United States, noting that the relationship remains “very, very important.”

Sir Sadiq Khan responded to Trump’s comments by describing them as racist, sexist and Islamophobic, a stance Starmer did not seek to amplify in detail. The prime minister avoided getting drawn into a personal clash, instead emphasizing the broader angle: a strong, ongoing relationship with the United States, built on defense, security and intelligence cooperation.

“I’m absolutely clear, on the issues where I agree with the President, we have to work together,” Starmer said. “But equally, I’m very proud of our capital city and very proud of our mayor here, who’s doing a very good job.” He added that the long-running Trump–Khan dispute is not a distraction from the work of governing or from the UK’s global duties.

Asked whether the ongoing clash could complicate dealings with the White House, Starmer insisted it would not derail broader cooperation. “Oh, look, we are dealing with global affairs on an ongoing basis with America, our closest ally. On defence, on security, on intelligence. That’s where most of my focus is,” he said, noting that his teams continue to work with their American counterparts. “Very few things we disagree on. But I’m very clear, this is this is one of them.”