LONDON mayor Sadiq Khan has openly criticised the US president-elect Donald Trump, saying that the latter's previous attacks on him were racially motivated.
Speaking on the High Performance podcast just before the US election, Khan claimed that Trump’s critiques were driven by his background, skin colour, and religious beliefs.
"If I wasn’t this colour skin, if I wasn’t a practising Muslim, he wouldn’t have come for me," he was quoted as saying.
The British Asian leader added that Trump's policies were "sexist, homophobic, Islamophobic, racist," highlighting his broader concerns about the president-elect's leadership approach.
This isn't the first time the two leaders have clashed. Trump, during his presidency, publicly criticised Khan’s handling of the 2017 London Bridge terror attack and even challenged him to an IQ test, calling Khan “very dumb” and a “stone-cold loser.”
Khan, in turn, described Trump’s style as “hard-right populism.” In a symbolic move, a giant inflatable baby Trump blimp was flown in London during one of Trump’s visits, symbolising Khan’s disapproval of the US leader’s rhetoric.
Khan reflected on the personal impact of Trump’s words, adding, “It affects me, my family. What worries me, though, is...he’s the leader of the free world.”
He stressed that the US, which he described as “a lighthouse” of hope, can also cast “ripples of hate” when its leadership strays from inclusive values.
Despite the clashes, Khan expressed willingness to meet Trump if he visits London, suggesting they explore the city’s diversity together.
Khan invited Trump to experience London’s Pride march, visit a mosque, and see the city’s multicultural communities firsthand. He said, “It is perfectly compatible to be a Westerner and to be a Muslim, to treat women with respect and to be a leader.”
According to Khan, democratic societies benefit from pluralism, despite their differences.
“Of course, we’re not one homogenous society…That’s the joy of a democracy," the mayor added.
Khan said that, as a leader, it is his duty to speak up when policies negatively impact Londoners and others worldwide. He said, “Would I do it again? Absolutely, because you’ve got to speak the truth with power.”
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