Sir Sadiq Khan has expressed satisfaction over a significant setback for Donald Trump as the city of New York elected Democrat Zohran Mamdani as its new mayor.
President Trump had supported former governor Andrew Cuomo, labeling Mamdani a “communist” and warning of funding cuts to New York if Mamdani won. Nevertheless, Mamdani emerged victorious, defeating Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa to become New York City’s inaugural Muslim mayor with South Asian heritage.
Sir Sadiq extended congratulations to Mamdani, who is set to become the city’s youngest mayor in over a century upon assuming office on January 1, commending his “historic campaign.”
In a statement, Sir Sadiq highlighted the significant choice New Yorkers faced between hope and fear, drawing parallels to London’s own experiences where hope prevailed.
The London mayor’s endorsement of Mamdani follows a prolonged feud between him and Trump. Trump has consistently criticized Sir Sadiq since 2015, particularly after the mayor denounced Trump’s proposal to ban Muslims from entering the US.
During Trump’s UK visit, he disparaged Sir Sadiq as one of the worst mayors globally and allegedly requested his exclusion from certain events. Trump also falsely claimed at the UN that Sir Sadiq aimed to impose Sharia law in London, prompting a strong rebuttal from the London mayor.
In his victory speech, Mamdani directly addressed Trump, challenging him to “turn the volume up” to hear the resounding support from his followers. Mamdani reaffirmed New York as a city of immigrants, emphasizing its immigrant-led history and vowing to guide the city to overcome challenges posed by Trump.
The city’s Board of Elections reported a record voter turnout in over 50 years, with more than two million ballots cast. Elsewhere, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson expressed limited interest in American politics when asked about Mamdani’s win.