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The Telegraph
Trump: I banned Sadiq Khan from state visit events
Samuel Montgomery
Fri, September 19, 2025
Donald Trump has claimed he banned Sir Sadiq Khan from attending events put on for his second state visit to Britain.
The president said the London Mayor “wanted to be there”, but he personally demanded he be sidelined.
The snub is the latest broadside in the war of words between the two men that dates back to 2017, when the president criticised the mayor’s response to the London Bridge terror attack.
On the eve of Mr Trump’s return to the White House in January, Sir Sadiq warned of “resurgent fascism” and echoes of 1930s Germany.
The president responded in July, while staying at his Turnberry golf course in Scotland, by branding the Mayor a “nasty person” who was doing a “terrible job”.
Mr Trump has now told reporters on board Air Force One that he personally requested Sir Sadiq have no involvement with his visit to Britain.
“He wanted to be there, as I understand it. I didn’t want him,” the president said, adding: “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. I think he’s done a terrible job.”
Donald Trump arriving at Chequers on Thursday - Leon Neal/Getty
Mr Trump said crime in London had soared “through the roof” on the mayor’s watch and described him as a “disaster” when it comes to immigration policies.
He added: “I’ve not liked him for a long time. I have a certain pride in London, in the UK, my mother was born in Scotland, and when I see Mayor Khan do a bad job – the stabbings, the dirt and the filth – it’s not the same. I didn’t want him there.”
Before Mr Trump had touched down at Stansted Airport on Tuesday, Sir Sadiq had penned a fresh attack against the president.
He accused the Republican of fuelling “divisive, far-Right politics around the world”.
Sir Sadiq wrote in the Guardian: “Scapegoating minorities, illegally deporting US citizens, deploying the military to the streets of diverse cities. These actions aren’t just inconsistent with Western values – they’re straight out of the autocrat’s playbook.”
Donald Trump gestures next to the King before leaving Windsor Castle on Thursday - Evan Vucci/AP
Reporters on board the presidential plane on Thursday asked Mr Trump what his favourite part of his state visit had been.
The president responded: “Being with King Charles, he’s a wonderful guy.
“I knew him before but now I know him a lot better. The artwork. I saw more paintings than any human being ever saw and statues.
“They treated us great, they treated our country great, I view that as real respect for our country the way they did it. Last night was beautiful.”
Mr Trump and his wife, Melania, were treated to two days of highly choreographed pomp and pageantry which included a military ceremony, flypast and state banquet.
The only apparent mishap occurred during the journey from Chequers, the Prime Minister’s country residence, to Stansted Airport when Marine One, the president’s helicopter, made an unscheduled landing.
Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, said a “minor hydraulic issue” had forced Marine One to land at a local airfield “out of an abundance of caution”.
The Trumps then carried on their journey in a backup helicopter.
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