DURING his recent state visit to London, United States President Donald Trump targeted Sadiq Khan, the city’s mayor, once again showcasing his passion for provocative bombast. He repeated his criticism at the United Nations General Assembly session as well, dubbing Khan a “terrible mayor”, and implied that the British capital was veering towards “sharia law” under Khan’s watch.

Khan received support from the British political figures, including Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who dismissed Trump’s claims as “ridiculous nonsense”. It seems that Trump has forgotten that Khan had been thrice elected by the Londoners as their mayor. Still, many observers see Trump’s insults as part of a broader strategy wherein he diminishes the legitimacy and authority of leaders of cosmopolitan, pluralistic cities.

Another notable political figure under Trump’s rage is Zohran Mamdani, a rising progressive young man and Democratic nominee for the New York mayorship election that is due in November. Trump has publicly branded Mamdani a “100 per cent communist lunatic”, and attacked his policy framework as “fake Communist promises”.

He even threatened to withhold federal funding meant for New York City should Mamdani take office. Trump has cited Mamdani’s proposals on rent freeze, free public transport and expansion of social services by taxing wealthy New Yorkers as evidence of radicalism.

Looking closely, his approach in both cases is patently similar; to reduce his opponents to caricatures, plant fear about both Islamic and socialist radicalism, and frame himself as the bulwark against all sorts of chaos. Whether the targets are Western city mayors or progressive American politicians, his approach simply remains marked by efforts to provoke, polarise and dominate the narrative.

Fawad Hashmey
Lahore

Published in Dawn, October 24th, 2025