Donald Trump’s Sharia Law Attack on Sadiq Khan Outrages Labour MPs
In a fiery address to the United Nations General Assembly, US President Donald Trump turned his sights on London, falsely claiming that the city is on the brink of adopting sharia law under the leadership of its 'terrible mayor,' Sadiq Khan. The remarks, delivered on September 23, 2025, have ignited a firestorm of criticism in the UK, with Labour MPs urging Prime Minister Keir Starmer to confront the Trump administration over what they describe as inflammatory and baseless rhetoric.
Khan, London's first Muslim mayor and a prominent Labour figure, has long been a target for Trump, who has repeatedly criticized him amid broader attacks on multiculturalism and immigration policies. Speaking to world leaders in New York, Trump painted a dystopian picture of the British capital, suggesting that Khan's governance is eroding Western values. 'London is a disaster under this terrible mayor, and they're talking about going to sharia law,' Trump declared, according to reports from the scene.
The backlash was swift and bipartisan in the UK. Labour MPs, still riding the wave of their recent electoral success, expressed fury over the comments, viewing them as not just personal slights but as divisive attacks on democratic institutions. One senior Labour source told The Guardian that the speech was 'a dangerous distortion of facts' that plays into far-right narratives. Shadow Foreign Secretary David Lammy called for a strong diplomatic response, emphasizing the need to defend Khan and the UK's multicultural fabric.
This isn't the first time Trump has clashed with Khan. Their feud dates back to 2017, when Trump initially criticized Khan's handling of terror attacks in London and later backed calls for his resignation. Yet, as transatlantic relations hang in the balance with potential trade deals and security pacts on the horizon, Starmer faces a delicate balancing act. Downing Street officials have yet to comment publicly, but sources indicate the Prime Minister is weighing options to address the slight without escalating tensions.
The incident underscores ongoing frictions between the US and UK leadership, particularly as Trump returns to the White House. For Khan, who has focused on issues like housing affordability and climate action in his third term, the unsolicited international spotlight serves as a reminder of the global stage's harsh glare. As Labour rallies around their embattled colleague, the hope is that cooler heads prevail in bridging these political divides.
This article is a summary based on reporting from The Guardian. For the full story, read the original here.