Trump's UN remarks draw sharp rebuke from London mayor Khan

President Donald Trump, speaking at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, drew a sharp rebuke from London Mayor Sadiq Khan after he described London as having "a terrible, terrible mayor" and suggested residents were seeking "Sharia law." Khan responded that Trump has shown he is racist, sexist, misogynistic and Islamophobic.

In an interview with BBC London, Khan said: "People are wondering what it is about this Muslim mayor who leads a liberal, multi-cultural, progressive and successful city, that means I appear to be living rent-free inside Donald Trump's head." He added that Trump has "shown" those traits and urged leaders to judge him by his public actions rather than his words. The White House had been contacted for comment.

The issue comes against a backdrop of ongoing debate over the role of religious courts in the United Kingdom. While Sharia councils and other faith-based tribunals operate in the UK on matters such as religious marriage arbitration, their rulings are not legally binding. The government has been clear that Sharia law forms no part of the law of England and Wales. Justice Minister Sarah Sackman told the House of Commons that where people choose to bring disputes before religious councils, that is distinct from secular, legally binding law and is part of a broader tradition of religious tolerance in Britain. The Church of England’s ecclesiastical courts retain jurisdiction over certain church properties and clerical conduct, while Jewish Beth Din and Roman Catholic tribunals handle specific faith-based matters.

Cabinet minister Pat McFadden defended Khan on Wednesday, saying the London mayor and Trump have had a longstanding feud and rejecting claims that London is moving toward Sharia law. He argued that British law remains sovereign and that no other system applies in the country.

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said listeners should not take Trump’s words literally but warned that they should be taken seriously. In an LBC appearance, Farage said: "So is he right to say that Sharia is an issue in London? Yes. Is it an overwhelming issue at this stage? No. Has the mayor of London directly linked himself to it? No." He also suggested Trump’s broader critique of Western culture reflects a broader concern about identity and heritage.

Trump has targeted Khan before. In 2019 he labeled the London mayor a "stone cold loser" and has previously challenged Khan to an IQ test while criticizing his response to the 2017 London Bridge attack. During a July visit to Scotland, Trump again referred to Khan as "a nasty person" who had "done a terrible job." Prime Minister Keir Starmer, seated beside Trump, interjected by saying: "He's a friend of mine, actually."

Officials stressed that Khan’s criticism was aimed at the tenor of Trump’s UN remarks rather than a reflection of London policy, and that Britain remains committed to a diverse, lawful society. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Khan’s remarks or the evolving exchange. World leaders at the UN continue to emphasize that the city’s cultural and economic vitality remains robust, even amid bilateral disagreements over security, immigration, and cultural integration.