London Mayor Sadiq Khan has declared himself “indifferent” to Donald Trump, asserting he has “more important things to worry about” following the US president’s claim that he requested Sir Sadiq’s exclusion from state visit events.
This latest exchange escalates an ongoing feud, which saw Mr Trump earlier this week label Sir Sadiq “among the worst mayors in the world.”
The US president alleged that Sir Sadiq had expressed a desire to participate in the state visit, but Mr Trump stated he “asked that he not be there.”
Asked to respond to Mr Trump’s claim, the mayor of London told the PA news agency on Sunday: “I’ve not really given it much thought.
“I am indifferent to President Trump.
“I literally (have) more important things to worry about.”
There has been a long-running war of words between Mr Trump and the Labour mayor, who accused the American leader of encouraging divisive far-right politics around the world as he landed in Britain on Tuesday.
Speaking to reporters on Air Force One on Thursday after his state visit, Mr Trump said: “I didn’t want him there, I asked that he not be there.
“I think the mayor of London Khan is among the worst mayors in the world, and we have some bad ones. If you look at Chicago, but I think he’s the equivalent of the mayor of Chicago.
“I think he’s done a terrible job. Crime in London is through the roof. The mayor of London Khan, mayor Khan has done a terrible job.
“And on immigration, he’s a disaster.
“I asked that he not be there. He wanted to be there, as I understand, I didn’t want him.”
Sir Sadiq is understood to have made it clear weeks ago that he did not seek or expect an invite to events held for the contentious state visit.
The two men’s spat dates back to at least 2015, when the Labour politician condemned the then presidential hopeful’s suggestion that Muslims should be banned from travelling to the US.
The row intensified when the president criticised the mayor’s response to the London Bridge terror attack, and in 2018 Sir Sadiq’s office gave permission for an inflatable depicting Mr Trump as a baby to fly in Parliament Square as the Republican visited the UK.
