Trump says he didn't want London mayor at state banquet
Trump described Sadiq Khan as among the worst mayors in the world, saying he asked that Khan not attend the Windsor Castle event.
LONDON — Former U.S. President Donald Trump said aboard Air Force One on his return from the United Kingdom that he did not want London Mayor Sadiq Khan at the Windsor Castle state banquet hosted by King Charles III.
Trump described Khan as "among the worst mayors in the world" and said he had meant for Khan not to attend the event, telling reporters that "I asked that he not be there."
The BBC reported that Khan did not seek or expect an invitation to the banquet, and a source close to the mayor said Trump's politics sowed "fear and division".
The clash between the two figures stretches back years. Khan condemned Trump's proposal to ban Muslims from entering the United States in 2015, calling it discriminatory. A year later, Trump challenged the mayor to an IQ test. The feud also centers on public security and policing, including Trump's criticism of Khan's handling of the 2017 London Bridge attack.
During Trump's first state visit to the United Kingdom in 2019, Khan permitted a plan to fly a giant inflatable "Trump baby" blimp over central London to coincide with the trip.
In July, Trump again targeted Khan during a press conference with Sir Keir Starmer in Scotland, calling him a "nasty person," a remark that drew a swift retort from the British prime minister, who said, "He's a friend of mine, actually."
The current visit by Trump—the second state visit to the United Kingdom by a U.S. president and described as largely ceremonial—was also marked by protests in Parliament Square. Police said four men were arrested after images of Trump alongside convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein were projected onto Windsor Castle ahead of the state banquet.
London officials and supporters noted that the city remains a global hub despite the tensions between Trump and Khan and argued that London continues to be open, dynamic and safer than many U.S. cities, a point echoed by a Khan ally who said, "London is a global success story" and that many Americans are choosing to make the city their home.