U.S. President Donald Trump has revealed, aboard Air Force One en route home from his unprecedented second state visit to the UK, that he personally requested London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan not attend the lavish state banquet hosted by King Charles III at Windsor Castle, reigniting a decade-long feud marked by mutual barbs over immigration, crime, and politics.

Trump, departing after two days of diplomacy and ceremony, described Khan as "among the worst mayors in the world" and a "disaster" on immigration, claiming crime in London was "through the roof." He asserted Khan wanted an invitation but that he intervened to exclude him, stating, "I asked that he not be there. He wanted to be there, as I understand, I didn't want him."

The event on September 17 featured senior royals, tech leaders like Apple's Tim Cook and OpenAI's Sam Altman, and toasts to the "special relationship" between the U.S. and UK, with Trump and King Charles emphasizing shared history and alliances.

A source close to Khan clarified that the mayor neither sought nor expected an invitation, dismissing Trump's comments as divisive rhetoric that sows "fear and division." They highlighted London's status as a "global success story—open, dynamic and safer than major U.S. cities," noting record American relocations there.

Khan's office pointed to the city's progress under his leadership since 2016, contrasting it with Trump's portrayal. The exchange revives a rivalry dating to 2015, when Khan criticized Trump's proposed Muslim travel ban.

Trump later challenged Khan to an IQ test, labeled him a "stone-cold loser" in 2019, and attacked his response to the London Bridge attack. Khan, in turn, accused Trump of fueling far-right extremism and allowed a "Trump baby" blimp during the 2019 visit.