Sir Sadiq Khan took a swipe at ‘bully’ Donald Trump today as the London mayor renewed his bitter feud with the US President.
Asked if he could offer any advice to New York mayor Zohran Mamdani, who assumed office at the beginning of this year, Sir Sadiq said: ‘Don’t let bullies win.’
The long-running spat between the Labour politician and Mr Trump has lasted the best part of a decade, since Sir Sadiq took charge of London in 2016.
The US President last month branded Sir Sadiq a ‘horrible, vicious, disgusting mayor’ and claimed London was now ‘a different place’.
Sir Sadiq later hit back and suggested Mr Trump‘s frequent attacks on Europe and London are ‘grooming’ and ‘radicalising’ extremists in Britain.
Appearing on Sky News this morning, Sir Sadiq was asked if he had any tips for Mr Mamdani, a self-described socialist, on dealing with criticism from Mr Trump.
‘He doesn’t need advice from me, he’s going to be a great mayor,’ the London mayor replied.
‘I’ve got on really well with all the mayors of New York. It’s our nearest competitor and friend and colleague as a city.’
But Sir Sadiq also added: ‘What I would say to anybody is, whether you’re nine years old, whether you’re 14 years old, or whether you’re older – don’t let bullies win.’
Sir Sadiq Khan took a swipe at ‘bully’ Donald Trump as the Londonmayor renewed his bitter feud with the US President.
The long-running spat between the Labour politician and Mr Trump has lasted the best part of a decade, since Sir Sadiq took charge of London in 2016
The London mayor revealed he and Mr Mamdani ‘message regularly’, adding: ‘It brings a smile to my face talking about Zohran.
‘He’s going to do a great job, I think, in the second greatest city in the world in trying to make the progress we’ve made in London.’
In another interview on Monday, Sir Sadiq refused to be drawn on whether he would run for a fourth term as London mayor.
He told Times Radio: ‘The last election I fought is nearer than the next one I may fight, ask me again in a year’s time.
‘At this stage in the cycle, I never decide. I think it’s an indulgence to focus on my personal ambition rather than this city. I’m focused on this city.’
Sir Sadiq’s latest swipe at Mr Trump follows a previous blast in December, when he claimed things said by the US President ‘normalises and brings to the mainstream views that I think are unacceptable’.
The London mayor also questioned why Mr Trump was ‘obsessed’ with him.
Asked if Mr Trump’s comments were increasing the threat of far-Right attacks, Sir Sadiq told LBC radio last month: ‘I’m always willing to debate and have discourse with anybody about almost any issue.
‘But there is a direct link between language and how sometimes people can become radicalised, you can call it groomed, and so forth.
‘And we’ve seen in the UK a massive increase in anti-Muslim hatred.’
Pressed on whether he was accusing Mr Trump of radicalising people in Britain, the London mayor replied: ‘You know, intentionally or unintentionally, you are seeing people who are taking the views of the President of the United States as a green light to behave in a certain way.’
