The UK government has denied failing to stand up for Sir Sadiq Khan after he was branded a “disgusting mayor” by US President Donald Trump.
Trump’s latest remarks in his long-running feud with the London mayor came in an interview with Politico, in which he also claimed Sir Sadiq was elected “because so many people have come in”.
In response, Sir Sadiq told Politico that the president was “obsessed” with him and said “record numbers of Americans” were moving to London because the city’s liberal values were the “antithesis” of Trump’s.
A Downing Street spokesman declined to criticise President Trump’s comments, saying Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer had strong relationships with both men.
Asked why No 10 would not defend the mayor against the US president’s remarks, the spokesman said: “I do not accept that. As I have said, the prime minister has a strong relationship with the mayor of London.”
When the Downing Street spokesman was asked whether a determination to preserve the transatlantic relationship meant the US president could say whatever he wanted to about Britain, he replied: “I don’t think that’s a fair interpretation… I think as I’ve set out, the US is our closest partner on trade and security.
“You’ve seen the strengths of that relationship and the positive outcomes that has had for the British people.”
In his interview with Politico, President Trump repeated earlier attacks on Sir Sadiq, describing him as “a disaster” and claiming London was now “a different place”.
He also accused the mayor of having “a totally different ideology of what he is supposed to have”.
Sir Sadiq said he was unclear what the president meant by suggesting people who “come in” to Britain had helped elect him.
“I think it is for President Trump to explain what he means by that,” he said, adding that he had “no idea” why Trump was “so obsessed” with London’s leadership.
Trump’s comments to Politico formed part of a broader critique of European leaders, whom he accused of being “weak” and too focused on being “politically correct”.
He said European nations were “decaying” and claimed their immigration policies would cause them to have to “change their ideology”.
Anand Menon, a professor of foreign affairs at King’s College London, said the prime minister had broadly done a good job of walking the “tightrope” of managing relations with the US president.
“We all know Donald Trump likes flattery and is an important person to stay on the right side of,” he told News.
Prof Menon said it was an issue all European leaders were having to manage in a bid to keep President Trump on side on issues like trade and the Ukraine war.