Trump Attacks London’s Mayor Sadiq Khan Again!
US President Donald Trump is on an international spree starting with shocking the NATO leaders to his next stop – Britain. As it has become typical of Trump, he lashed out at the EU leaders saying ‘The way EU takes advantage of US is a disgrace,’ to his criticism of London’s Mayor Sadiq Khan. Trump was quoted in The Sun newspaper on Friday saying “You have a Mayor who has done a terrible job in London”.
Trump has been critical of Sadiq Khan ever since his Twitter war with him. Trump had ridiculed Khan in June last year, after a terror attack in London when Mayor Khan tweeted to calm down Londoners by saying “no reason to be alarmed’ at the increased police presence.
Trump flamed panic among Londoners when he misinterpreted the Mayor’s tweet, and himself tweeted saying, “At least 7 dead and 48 wounded in terror attack and Mayor of London says there is ‘no reason to be alarmed!” To which Mayor Khan had called Trump as “ill-informed.”
Terrorist attacks have been on the rise all around the globe. But it is interesting to note how President Trump has not been critical of the mayors of those cities and has restricted his comments to Mayor Khan alone.
It is more likely that more than policies and comments, President Trump is internet bullying Mayor Khan, due to his Islamic faith and being from an immigrant family (Pakistani). The Twitter feud between the two had begun when Mayor Khan called out on Trump’s travel ban on immigrants from certain Muslim nations.
Trump’s intolerance for people of Islamic faith and immigrants was probably fuelled when Mayor Khan authorized the protesters to float a 19-foot tall inflatable orange, nappy-clad baby with Trump’s face on it, over London’s Parliament Square.
Khan is a member of the opposition Labour party. His predecessor as London’s Mayor, Boris Johnson seems to have Trump’s support as he lauded Johnson as an ‘alternative prime minister.’ Johnson resigned recently as the foreign secretary in protest of Theresa May’s plans on Brexit.
Trump’s present criticism of Sadiq Khan did not instigate the Mayor who is taking the high road stating, “it’s for President Trump to say what he wants about me; I’m not going to rise to President Trump’s views.”
Trump’s travel bans, H1B1 visa rules, immigration policies, separating families at the border, etc., have been a clear indication of his resentment and intolerance of the minorities including the South Asian communities.
But singling out a Muslim Mayor and belittling him is bullying and not at all presidential. Then again, this administration has been anything but presidential in its almost two-year tenure. Trump has gone after sportsmen, actors, women, politicians and even restaurant owners in his twitter-rants!
We just hope to see him in a better light someday!
