US President Donald Trump holds the distinction of being elected to the highest office of the United States for the second time. During his tenure, he has made official visits to many parts of the world, each visit leaving behind a trail of newsworthy moments. Unlike his predecessors, Trump has carried himself in ways that defy convention, both in speech and in gesture. Few could rival his ability to generate headlines about himself, a skill that seems almost journalistic in its intent. His recent visit to England provided yet another illustration of this quality. On that occasion, he made a personal request that the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, be excluded from the state banquet hosted by King Charles III at Windsor Castle. “I didn’t want him there. I asked that he not be there,” Trump declared, before describing Khan as “among the worst mayors in the world.”
The irony of the situation could not be lost on observers. Just weeks earlier, Sadiq Khan had been knighted for his political and public service. On July 9, 2024, in a formal ceremony at Buckingham Palace, King Charles himself conferred the honour of knighthood upon Khan, acknowledging his long-standing service not only as Mayor of London, a position he has held since 2016, but also as a former Member of Parliament and government minister under Gordon Brown. The contrast between Trump’s scathing denunciation and the British monarchy’s recognition of Khan’s contributions underscores the complexity of politics and the wide gulf between American and British perspectives on governance.
By attacking Khan, Trump indirectly cast doubt on the administration and governance of London. Yet this criticism, when placed beside the realities of urban life in the United States, seems somewhat hollow. For while London remains one of the world’s most cosmopolitan cities, where people of different ethnicities, religions, and traditions live side by side, many American cities continue to grapple with dire problems of violence, poverty, and civic decay. In Memphis, Tennessee, the scourge of gang violence, carjackings, and theft undermines daily life. In St. Louis, Missouri, persistent gang wars and a lack of trust between police and communities cripple governance.
Detroit, despite attempts at revitalization, remains plagued by shootings, drug offenses, and economic stagnation, with abandoned properties a grim testament to urban decline. Baltimore struggles with gun violence, drug-related crimes, and widespread poverty, compounded by a legacy of mistrust between law enforcement and residents. In Oakland, California armed robberies, gang violence, and the drug trade persist, worsened by political tensions and deep-rooted disparities. Kansas City continues to battle alarmingly high homicide rates, despite programs of community policing and violence intervention. New Orleans, a city famed for its cultural vibrancy, faces high levels of drug-related violence and property crime, with longstanding governance issues and mistrust in law enforcement lingering in the background.
When weighed against these challenges, London does not appear as a city without difficulties, but one in which multiculturalism and democratic institutions still hold firm. It is also a city where public officials like Sadiq Khan do not hesitate to take bold stances on issues of international concern.
On September 18, 2025, Sadiq Khan openly condemned Israel’s war in Gaza, describing it as nothing less than genocide. He pointed to the starvation of children, the collapse of the health system, and what he called a man-made famine as evidence of atrocities. He cited the findings of a United Nations Commission of Inquiry and referenced the interim judgment of the International Court of Justice to substantiate his remarks. Nor was this his first statement on the matter. In July 2025, Sadiq Khan urged Prime Minister Keir Starmer to immediately recognize a Palestinian state, describing the images from Gaza as “absolutely harrowing.” He stressed that the international community, including the British government, had a duty to pressure Israel to halt the killing and permit the entry of humanitarian aid.
These pronouncements were not made in a vacuum. They came at a time when the United States was using its veto power in the United Nations Security Council to block repeated attempts at accountability. To date, America has employed its veto on forty-five occasions to shield Israel from resolutions critical of its actions, most of them pertaining to the Palestinian question. During the current war in Gaza, ongoing since October 2023, the United States has vetoed six separate resolutions demanding an immediate ceasefire or condemning Israel’s military conduct. The most recent veto, delivered on September 18, 2025, coincided with Sadiq Khan’s own strongest denunciation. These actions by Washington have underscored the growing diplomatic isolation of the United States and Israel, as other permanent and non-permanent members of the Security Council, including Britain and France, have supported the resolutions.
Thus, while Trump sought to belittle Sadiq Khan by excluding him from a banquet, the Mayor of London has positioned himself firmly within the moral debates of our age. His criticisms of Israel, though controversial to some, reflect the conscience of a politician unafraid to speak against war, famine, and the suffering of innocents. Trump’s remarks may capture headlines, but Sadiq Khan’s words resonate with communities who live the consequences of foreign policy decisions and who long for justice and peace. The contrast between the two men—one devoted to spectacle, the other to principled protest—illustrates the different roles political leaders may play on the stage of history.
Jahan bhi gaye dastan choor aye
