Trump Says He Didn't Want London Mayor At State Banquet

(MENAFN- AzerNews) US President Donald Trump has said he "didn't want" London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan at the state banquet hosted by the King at Windsor Castle, Azernews reports via BBC.

Speaking to reporters on Air Force One heading back the US, Trump described Sir Sadiq as "among the worst mayors in the world", saying he had wanted to attend the event, but "I asked that he not be there".

Sir Sadiq did not attend the state banquet and the BBC understands he did not seek or expect an invitation. A source close to the mayor said Trump's politics sowed "fear and division".

This latest war of words adds to the pair's feud, with Trump in 2019 calling the mayor "a stone-cold loser" and Sir Sadiq accusing him of stirring up far-right politics.

Trump echoed his past attacks on the mayor's governing of London, calling him a "disaster" on immigration.

"I think the Mayor of London Khan is among the worst mayors in the world, and we have some bad ones," he said.

"I think he's done a terrible job. Crime in London is through the roof."

"I asked that he not be there. He wanted to be there, as I understand, I didn't want him."

In response, a source close to Sir Sadiq rejected Trump's assessment of the mayor's work.

"Trump's politics is one of fear and division. This includes talking down our great capital city," they said.

"London is a global success story - it's open, dynamic and safer than major US cities. Perhaps that's one of the reasons record numbers of Americans are choosing to make London their home."

The pair's long-running row dates back to 2015 when the Labour politician condemned Trump's suggestion that Muslims should be banned from travelling to the US. A year later, Trump challenged the mayor to an IQ test.

The US leader also attacked the mayor's handling of the London Bridge terror attack in 2017.

During the US leader's first state visit in 2019, Sir Sadiq permitted a plan to fly a giant inflatable "Trump baby" blimp to coincide with his trip.

In July, Trump took another swipe at the mayor during a press conference with Sir Keir Starmer in Scotland, calling Sir Sadiq a "nasty person", to which the prime minister interjected saying: "He's a friend of mine, actually."

The US president's second state visit to the UK - unprecedented for a non-royal - was largely marked by pomp and ceremony to signal the warm relations between the two allies.

However, thousands of protesters gathered in Parliament Square for a rally against the visit.

Four men were arrested after images of Trump and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein were projected on to Windsor Castle ahead of the state banquet.

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