Sir Sadiq Khan has expressed satisfaction at a significant defeat for Donald Trump as Democrat Zohran Mamdani secures victory as the new mayor of New York City.
Former US President Donald Trump publicly supported Andrew Cuomo, who was defeated by Mamdani in the mayoral race. Trump labeled Mamdani a “communist” and threatened to withdraw federal funding from New York if Mamdani won. Despite this, Mamdani emerged victorious, defeating Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa to become the city’s first Muslim mayor and the first of South Asian descent.
Sir Sadiq extended his congratulations to Mamdani, who is set to become New York’s youngest mayor in over a century when he assumes office on January 1, hailing Mamdani’s campaign as “historic.” In a message on X, Sir Sadiq highlighted the choice New Yorkers faced between “hope and fear,” emphasizing the victory of hope, drawing parallels to London’s experiences.
The London mayor’s endorsement of Mamdani follows a longstanding feud between him and Trump. Trump has repeatedly criticized Sadiq since 2015, particularly after Sadiq denounced Trump’s proposal to ban Muslims from entering the US. During Trump’s UK state visit, he disparaged Sadiq as one of the worst mayors globally and allegedly requested Sadiq not attend official events.
At the UN General Assembly, Trump falsely accused Sadiq of aiming to impose Sharia law in London, prompting a sharp response from the mayor who denounced Trump as “racist, sexist, misogynistic,” and “Islamophobic.” Sadiq highlighted Trump’s continued fixation on him, asserting that Trump’s behavior reveals his discriminatory attitudes.
In his victory speech, Mamdani directly addressed Trump, urging him to “turn the volume up” to hear the resounding cheers from supporters. Defiantly, Mamdani proclaimed New York as a city of immigrants, emphasizing its immigrant foundation and leadership under an immigrant, signaling a rejection of Trump’s anti-immigrant rhetoric.
The city’s Board of Elections reported a record turnout in the election, with over two million ballots cast. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson, when asked about Mamdani’s win, expressed limited interest in American politics.