Trump: I Will Make Exceptions for the Mayor of London

Donald Trump, the potential Republican nominee for the U.S. presidential election, stated that the ban he proposed on Muslim entry would have exceptions, such as for Sadiq Khan, the new mayor of London. The New York Times quoted the controversial American billionaire saying, "There are always exceptions." Previously, Sadiq Khan had remarked that if Trump were to become President of the United States, he would not be able to visit the U.S. due to his beliefs and religion, and meet with mayors there to exchange views. Sadiq Khan, born to a Pakistani father in Britain, is a Muslim and the first Muslim mayor of the British capital, as well as a prominent figure in the Labour Party. The New York Times asked Trump what he thought of Mr. Khan. The potential Republican nominee expressed happiness over Khan's election, stating, "If he succeeds... it would be tremendous." Following the shooting that killed 14 citizens in San Bernardino, California, involving a Muslim couple influenced by extremist beliefs, Donald Trump issued a statement last December calling for a temporary and complete ban on Muslim entry. This statement faced immediate and widespread backlash. Some influential Republican figures joined the critics, including John McCain, the senator from Arizona, who described the proposal as "stupid." Reuters quoted Sadiq Khan in the Observer, where the newly elected mayor of London commented on the tactics of the British Conservative Party, saying, "They use fear and insinuation to create division between ethnic and religious groups against each other, something that seems to be directly extracted from Donald Trump's methods." In an interview with Time magazine, he expressed a strong desire to meet with the mayors of Chicago and New York to learn from their experiences, but he needs to do so before January, as Trump might win the U.S. presidential election. The U.S. presidential election is scheduled for November 8. Trump's rivals have withdrawn from the intra-party competition. However, the national party convention has not yet been held, and the name of the final party nominee has not been determined.