Sadiq Khan accuses Donald Trump of spreading 'lies and propaganda' as Mayor reignites vicious feud

Peter Stevens
Wed, 01 Apr 2026 02:59:59 +0000

Sir Sadiq Khan has accused Donald Trump of spreading "lies and propaganda" - reigniting his years-long feud with the US President.

The Mayor of London has demanded British diplomats around the world help counter the spread of "disinformation and lies" about London.

Sir Sadiq said the capital was not perfect, but remained safer than major US cities.

Mr Trump, who has previously called Sir Sadiq a "terrible mayor", said crime in London was "through the roof" and accused the city of wanting to "go to sharia law".

TRENDING

Stories

Videos

Your Say

The Mayor of London said much of the "misinformation, disinformation and lies" originated from across the Atlantic.

He added social media platforms were being used to "amplify hate".

Sir Sadiq said ideas "on the periphery and the margins" were now part of mainstream conversation as a result of Mr Trump.

He said: "So it is really important to counter the propaganda coming from President Trump.

"It is just a fact that London is just far safer than not just any major city in the United States of America, but any state in the United States of America.

"And it is just a fact that, in fact, since records began, there has never been more Americans coming to London to study, as a tourist, to invest or to live here, so it’s really important to remind people how great London is. But also to rebut the lies and the nonsense that come from America, not least from the President."

The Mayor of London cited data showing that London had recorded its lowest number of homicides per capita since records began, and a recent decline in phone-snatching.

He said he has spoken to diplomats in the Foreign Office and police to make sure "diplomats have the facts at their disposal to rebut the concerns people have".

LATEST FROM LONDON'S MAYOR:

Sadiq Khan's car ban plan under fire as London Mayor faces backlash over costs

Sadiq Khan accused of 'politicising Islam' amid calls to ban public prayer - 'Creating division!'

Sadiq Khan demands Brexit be reversed - and wants to rejoin the EU without even holding a referendum

Sir Sadiq raised concerns that people who see the misinformation from the President through a "YouTube film or a post on TikTok" would discourage potential tourists from visiting, businessmen investing, or potential students from studying in London.

The White House, responding to Khan's remarks, said "left-wing policies ... have made once-great cities like London unrecognisable".

A spokesman said Mr Trump was "rightfully warning European leaders that Western civilisation will continue to erode if they don't quickly reverse course".

The Mayor and the President have waged a public war of words for more than a decade now.

Mr Trump's 2016 campaign pledge to ban some Muslims from the US was labelled "outrageous" by Sir Sadiq at the time.

Though after the Mayor's election, the President suggested he would make an exemption for him.

In 2018, Sir Sadiq allowed anti-Trump activists to fly a protest balloon of the President as a crying baby in a nappy.

In 2019, Mr Trump warned that the capital "needs a new mayor asap", adding: "Khan is a disaster - will only get worse!"

Last year, the President took the feud to the United Nations, accusing Sir Sadiq of being a "terrible mayor" and warning Sharia Law was coming to London - in remarks the Labour politician rejected as "appalling and bigoted".

Mr Trump repeated that barb to GB News last year - telling Britain's News Channel he was a "disaster" and a "nasty person".

The Mayor's most recent words came as families had to be barricaded inside shops after mobs of youths descended on a leafy suburb of the capital following an online trend.

It also follows a recent report from the London Assembly's Police and Crime Committee revealed locals and tourists alike are fearful of using London's buses, trains, and underground network.

Transport for London (TfL) saw 48,000 crimes reported in 2025, up 46 per cent against a pre-pandemic average of 16,544.

Published as part of a new report examining the capital's approach to tackling violence against women and girls (VAWG) and hate crime in the transport network, the committee found London's current strategy "unacceptable".

The chairwoman of the committee, Marina Ahmad, said where the assembly expected "to find a problem, what we found was a crisis".

Seven in 10 Londoners were choosing not to travel out of fear for "personal security", Tricia Hayes of London TravelWatch told the committee.

In response to the report, a spokesman for the Mayor said today: "Nothing is more important to the Mayor than keeping Londoners safe, and he is clear that no one should have to feel scared or vulnerable on public transport or anywhere in the capital.

"Sadiq has invested over £277million to tackle the epidemic of violence against women and girls in all its forms, and dedicated a record £16million - more than any other Mayor - to tackle hate crime and intolerance in all its guises.

"But there is more work to do and the Mayor will be stepping up collective action with TfL, Met Police and other partners to ensure our transport network is inclusive, safe and welcoming as we continue building a safer, fairer, better London for everyone."

The feud between the Mayor of London and US President stems from at least 2015, where Sir Sadiq condemned Trump's pledge to implement a travel ban on several majority-Muslim countries.

Sir Sadiq made his comments hitting out at Mr Trump at a meeting held at the Foreign Office attended by diplomats from countries including the US, the United Arab Emirates, and Japan, alongside the Commissioner of the Police Service.