Sir Sadiq Khan has hit back at Donald Trump after the US president called him a “nasty person”.
After Mr Trump said he has done “a terrible job”, a spokesman for the London mayor said that a record number of Americans are leaving the US for the UK’s capital under his administration.
The spokesman said: “Sadiq is delighted that president Trump wants to come to the greatest city in the world.
“He’d see how our diversity makes us stronger, not weaker; richer, not poorer.
“Perhaps these are the reasons why a record number of Americans have applied for British citizenship under his presidency.”
It came after Mr Trump used a press conference alongside Sir Keir Starmer to attack the London mayor, who he has repeatedly clashed with in the past.
The president said:”I’m not a fan of your mayor. I think he’s done a terrible job, the Mayor of London… a nasty person.”
The prime minister intervened to say: “He’s a friend of mine, actually.”
But despite the defence, Mr Trump went on to say: “I think he’s done a terrible job. But I would certainly visit London.”
An ally of Sir Sadiq pointed out that the mayor has won all three elections to the position, including in May 2021, months after Mr Trump lost the 2020 US election.
He has previously accused Mr Trump of singling him out on the world stage for criticism because of his skin colour and religion.
Speaking to the High Performance podcast, Sir Sadiq said: “It’s personal, let’s be frank. If I wasn’t this colour skin, if I wasn’t a practising Muslim, he wouldn’t have come for me.”
The pair’s long-running row started during the US president’s first term, with Sir Sadiq railing against the pledge to ban Muslims from the US.
Mr Trump described Sir Sadiq as “a stone-cold loser” and “very dumb”.
His latest attack on Sir Sadiq came as he warned Sir Keir he must slash taxes and immigration if he hopes to defeat Nigel Farage at the next election.
Speaking at his Turnberry golf course ball room in South Ayrshire on Monday, Mr Trump described both the PM and Reform UK leader as “friends”.
“The one who cuts taxes the most, the one who gives you the lowest energy prices, the one who keeps you out of wars tends to win,” he said.
“Low taxes, keep us safe, keep us out of wars….And in your case a big immigration component.” He also said he thought he won the US election because of his focus on immigration.
