We need to get on well with Trump
I LIKE Sadiq Khan. He’s a good mayor and London is lucky to have him. He was brave in going to the carnage of Grenfell Tower when he knew feelings were running high against practically anyone in authority. He took the inevitable (and unjustified) verbal abuse on the chin. He very nearly had to take some empty beer bottles on the chin, too, when they were angrily thrown at his head.
Since becoming the capital’s mayor he has fought his city’s corner hard, and – like Boris Johnson before him – largely eschews party politics, preferring to put London’s interests ahead of political posturing. And on a personal level, as I say, I like him. We’ve met him a couple of times and he’s warm, funny, and very quick on his feet.
But he’s completely wrong about Donald Trump; specifically about the US president’s on-off scheduled state visit to the UK. Khan is against it, and this week suggested that at the very least there should be “no rolling out the red carpet” with a full state visit.
Speaking on CNN the mayor said: “At a time when the president of the USA has policies that many in our country disagree with, I am not sure it is appropriate for our government to roll out the red carpet.” He went on: “If someone has views that I think can be changed then of course I’m ready to play my role… if you somehow think it is not possible to be a Muslim and a proud Westerner (Khan is both) I am happy to disabuse you of that idea, whether you are a reporter for CNN or Donald Trump.”
Khan naturally loathes Trump’s perceived anti-Muslim stance, and I don’t blame him. There are plenty of other White House policies (or would-be policies; Trump doesn’t seem to be making much headway in office) that many, including myself, find ridiculous or downright disgraceful.
But you don’t stand a chance of influencing such things with a keep-off-my-lawn approach. President Macron played a blinder last week when he invited Trump and his wife, at very short notice, to visit France. Never mind red carpets, anything that could roll was rolled out for the couple. Supper on top of the Eiffel Tower, the best seats at the Bastille Day celebrations, and the fullest attention and friendliness of Macron and his wife (who Trump clearly and clumsily fancied).
I’ll bet Macron did a lot of private finger-crossing and tongue-biting during the trip as he had to listen to The Donald’s ramblings but it paid off. Trump left with a new respect and affection for France, seemed to have softened his previous immoveable position on climate change (thanks to Macron’s deft and polite murmurings) and the Elysee Palace and the White House are unquestionably closer now than before the visit.
In other words, Macron swallowed his personal distaste for Trump in the best interests of his country and its people. And so he should have. America is vital to the prosperity and security of Western countries, especially ours, whoever the incumbent president may be.
So think on, Sadiq. Yes, Trump clearly has a problem with Muslims. But he has a problem with a lot of other people too. Such as Mexicans. But as the old saying has it: keep your friends close and your enemies closer.
Or as one US president succinctly remarked about the then head of the FBI who was a thorn in his administration’s side: “I won’t sack him. I’d rather have the b ***** d inside the tent p ***** g out than outside it p ***** g in.” Or even, dare I say, on the red carpet.