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Trump's false claims about London and sharia law highlight enduring misinformation trends

Thursday, 25 September 2025 4:05AM UTC

Former US President Donald Trump has intensified false claims about London, alleging a move towards sharia law under Mayor Sadiq Khan, despite clear evidence debunking such assertions and denials from authorities.

In his UN General Assembly speech on 23 September 2025, former President Donald Trump criticised London under Mayor Sadiq Khan, claiming the city had been "so changed" and was moving towards "sharia law." Trump labelled Khan a "terrible, terrible mayor" and suggested that London was "in a different country" because of these changes. However, there is no evidence to support Trump's assertions, and his comments appear to echo longstanding rightwing conspiracy theories.

Sadiq Khan, a progressive member of the Labour Party, has never advocated for the introduction of sharia law in London. The term "sharia law" generally refers to Islamic legal systems practised in countries like Saudi Arabia or under Taliban control in Afghanistan, where strict religious codes and harsh punishments are applied. In the UK, including London, sharia councils exist but only in an advisory capacity, dealing mostly with personal and religious matters within Muslim communities. Their rulings have no legal standing, as confirmed by the UK Parliament’s House of Commons library and officials from both Labour and Conservative governments. The mayor's office has consistently denied false claims that Khan is attempting to implement sharia law in London.

Misleading rightwing memes and social media posts have circulated for years, falsely attributing quotes and policies to Khan about introducing sharia law. For example, a 2020 viral post misspelling "sharia" as "shakira" claimed it was being trialled in several London boroughs—but this was debunked by Khan's office. Similarly, fact-checking organisations such as Reuters and Snopes have disproven fabricated images and quotes suggesting that Londoners are fleeing the city or that Khan prioritises benefits exclusively for Muslims. These pieces of misinformation aim to stoke division and fear but lack any factual basis.

Trump's repeated attacks on Khan date back to 2015 when Khan publicly condemned Trump’s Muslim travel ban proposal. The hostility intensified after the London Bridge terror attack in 2017, when Trump criticised Khan's handling of the situation. The mayor’s office also allowed the 2019 state visit to be marked by the flight of the now-iconic "Trump baby" blimp, a symbol of local protest.

Despite Trump's claims that crime in London is "through the roof," official statistics from Khan’s administration indicate an annual drop in theft, robbery, and burglary. The suggestion that London's governance has deteriorated under Khan contradicts data and reflects more the personal and political tensions between the two figures.

While the notion of London "going to sharia law" plays into far-right fears and conspiracy theories, the reality is much more nuanced. Sharia councils in the UK provide community support rather than enforce legal codes, operating parallel to British law. Khan himself is known for promoting diversity and inclusion in London, emphasising the city's multicultural identity rather than any religious legal imposition. The spread of disinformation about Khan and sharia law reflects broader issues around politicisation of Islamophobia and misinformation in public discourse.

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Source: Noah Wire Services

More on this

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/sep/24/trumps-un-speech-what-he-said-about-london-oil-and-the-uks-green-policies - Please view link - unable to able to access data
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/sep/24/trumps-un-speech-what-he-said-about-london-oil-and-the-uks-green-policies - In his UN General Assembly address on 23 September 2025, President Trump criticised London Mayor Sadiq Khan, alleging the city was 'so changed' and now seeking to 'go to sharia law'. The Guardian reports that there is no evidence supporting these claims, highlighting that Khan, a member of the Labour party, has not advocated for any form of sharia law in London. The article also discusses the existence of sharia councils in the UK, which operate in an advisory capacity and are not legally binding.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/london-mayor-sadiq-khan-trump-sharia-law/ - CBS News reports on President Trump's remarks at the UN General Assembly, where he accused London of wanting to 'go to sharia law' under Mayor Sadiq Khan. The article notes that these comments echo far-right conspiracy theories linking Khan to Islamic fundamentalism, despite no evidence that Khan has advocated for sharia law in London. The piece also highlights the lack of legal recognition for sharia law in the UK.
https://www.reuters.com/fact-check/london-mayors-guardian-op-ed-muslims-is-fake-2024-05-10/ - Reuters Fact Check debunks a fabricated screenshot claiming an op-ed by London Mayor Sadiq Khan in The Guardian, stating: 'Muslims built London. I will ensure their contribution to my city is prioritised above all else. Diversity is our strength.' The Guardian confirmed that neither the headline nor the article was published by the newspaper, highlighting the spread of misinformation about Khan's stance on sharia law.
https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/fleeing-london-sadiq-khan/ - Snopes investigates a viral photo claiming to show people fleeing London after Sadiq Khan's re-election, purportedly to escape sharia law. The image, originally from 2017, was edited to include Khan and misleading captions. Snopes confirms that the photo does not depict people fleeing London due to sharia law, debunking the false narrative.
https://www.reuters.com/fact-check/fake-quote-about-benefits-londons-muslims-attributed-mayor-2024-05-13/ - Reuters Fact Check addresses a fabricated quote falsely attributed to Mayor Sadiq Khan, suggesting he pledged specific benefits for London's Muslim population. The misleading quote claimed Khan promised subsidies and housing exclusively for Muslims. The mayor's actual statements in his election manifesto include policies on free skills training for all young Londoners and a pledge to build 40,000 council homes for all faiths, contradicting the false attribution.
https://www.reuters.com/fact-check/viral-post-about-number-muslim-mayors-uk-is-misleading-2024-06-12/ - Reuters Fact Check examines a viral post claiming a high number of Muslim mayors and the prominence of Islam in the UK, following Sadiq Khan's re-election. The post inaccurately stated that cities including London, Birmingham, and Leeds had Muslim mayors. The fact check reveals that, as of May 4, 2024, only five of the nine listed cities had Muslim mayors, and the claims about the number of mosques and sharia councils in the UK were exaggerated or unclear.

Noah Fact Check Pro

The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may warrant further investigation.

Freshness check

Score: 10

Notes: The narrative is based on a recent press release from The Guardian, dated 24 September 2025, reporting on President Trump's UN General Assembly speech on 23 September 2025. Press releases typically warrant a high freshness score due to their timely nature.

Quotes check

Score: 10

Notes: The direct quotes attributed to President Trump in the narrative match those reported in multiple reputable sources, including The Guardian and BBC News. ([feeds.bbci.co.uk](https://feeds.bbci.co.uk/news/articles/cp3qxrgl05lo?utm_source=openai))

Source reliability

Score: 10

Notes: The narrative originates from The Guardian, a reputable organisation known for its journalistic standards. This enhances the credibility of the information presented.

Plausability check

Score: 10

Notes: The claims made in the narrative align with reports from multiple reputable outlets, including Reuters and BBC News, confirming the accuracy of the information. ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-address-un-he-distances-us-global-cooperation-2025-09-23/?utm_source=openai))

Overall assessment

Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS

Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH

Summary: The narrative is based on a recent press release from The Guardian, reporting on President Trump's UN General Assembly speech on 23 September 2025. The quotes attributed to President Trump are consistent with those reported in multiple reputable sources, including The Guardian and BBC News. The narrative originates from The Guardian, a reputable organisation known for its journalistic standards, enhancing the credibility of the information presented. The claims made in the narrative align with reports from multiple reputable outlets, including Reuters and BBC News, confirming the accuracy of the information. Therefore, the overall assessment is a PASS with high confidence.

Donald Trump
Sadiq Khan
disinformation