Sadiq Khan reignites feud with Donald Trump ahead of US president's state visit, cites surge in American citizenship applications

London Mayor Sadiq Khan on Tuesday escalated his public feud with President Donald Trump, saying a record number of US citizens are applying for UK citizenship and that many are choosing to move to Britain because of its “liberal values and diversity.” His comments came hours before Mr. Trump and First Lady Melania Trump were due to arrive for a two-day state visit hosted by King Charles at Windsor Castle.

City Hall cited Home Office figures showing a rise in applications for UK citizenship from Americans beginning in the last quarter of 2024 and accelerating into 2025, saying applications in the second quarter of this year were almost 50% higher than the same period a year earlier. Khan said those figures reflected a belief among some Americans that Britain offers “fundamental values like adhering to the rule of law, being proud of our diversity and championing the rights of minority communities.”

Mr. Trump’s state visit, his second to the UK and an unusually high-profile diplomatic gesture for a US president, will feature a ceremonial welcome in Windsor, a carriage procession through Home Park, and an official state banquet in the castle quadrangle. Security will be tight: officials said the president would be confined to the private Windsor estate on the first full day and is scheduled to travel to the prime minister’s country residence, Chequers, on Thursday.

The Prince and Princess of Wales are expected to play a prominent role in welcoming the president and first lady, meeting them on the Windsor grounds and escorting them to see the King and Queen. The Princess of Wales is also scheduled to carry out a joint engagement with Mrs. Trump at Frogmore Gardens, where they will meet members of the Scouts' Squirrels programme. It remained unclear on Tuesday whether the princess, who earlier this year announced she is in remission from cancer, will attend the state banquet.

Labour and government officials said the visit presents opportunities to press Mr. Trump on trade and security issues. One key UK priority is the removal of US tariffs on British steel, which remain in place despite progress toward a broader UK–US trade agreement. Liam Byrne, chair of the Commons Business and Trade Committee, warned the government that Britain currently trades with its largest partner “on terms that are worse than the past.” Business Secretary Peter Kyle said tariff relief for UK steel is being negotiated and said he aimed for an announcement “as soon as possible,” but government sources cast doubt on whether a deal would be secured during the visit.

Ministers also highlighted work on a new nuclear partnership with the United States intended to accelerate development of power plants, and officials announced about £1.25 billion in expected investment from US financial firms ahead of the visit. A Downing Street spokesperson said the state visit “not only reflects centuries of bond between our two countries but cements the next 250 years as the closest of allies, creating a safer, richer future for people both sides of the Atlantic.”

The visit comes amid heightened political tensions in Britain over free speech and online regulation, which some Conservative critics say could be a point of contention for Mr. Trump and his allies. Demonstrations are planned: the Stop Trump Coalition scheduled a march through central London and a mass rally in Parliament Square following an initial protest on Windsor High Street. Memories of large-scale protests during Mr. Trump’s 2019 visit, when a 20-foot inflatable “Baby Trump” blimp flew over London, remain fresh among organisers and security planners.

Separately, Green MP Ellie Chowns tabled an Early Day Motion in the House of Commons invoking the “shadow” of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in relation to the visit. The motion did not seek to alter travel arrangements but underscored the political scrutiny surrounding the president’s arrival.

Khan, who has clashed repeatedly with Mr. Trump during the US president’s nine years in office, framed his remarks as a defence of London’s civic character and institutions. “Prominent figures in the US and UK deliberately talk down our country, and in particular our capital city,” he said in a statement. “For many Americans I speak with, it’s because of our values that record numbers are applying to be citizens.”

Officials said the state visit will also provide an opportunity for Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to seek Mr. Trump’s support for further sanctions on Russia and other shared foreign-policy goals. Downing Street has sought to balance the ceremonial grandeur of the visit with a focus on substantive negotiations on trade, defence and investment.

Mr. Trump’s arrival marks a high-stakes diplomatic moment for both countries, combining royal pageantry with political negotiations and public protest. British authorities have emphasised meticulous planning for security and logistics as they prepare to host the US president and manage competing public reactions to his presence in the United Kingdom.