By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor
Controversial figure and Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump had previously argued that he wanted to ban Muslims, for an indefinite period, from entering the US, assuming he was made President.
Trump put forward the idea of the blanket muslim ban after deadly attacks by Islamist militants in Paris and California last year. However, this raises an issue for new London Mayor Sadiq Khan, the first Muslim mayor of a western European city.
Khan is keen to visit the US soon and may have concerns that he would be turned back at border control. But he doesn’t need to worry Trump has said he is “happy” about khan emphatic win in the capital of England, from Mr Goldsmith.
It seems he will now make an exception for Khan if he was keen on coming to the States. The billionaire said: “There will always be exceptions,” when he was quizzed on how his policy would work in practice. For example if one partner was a Muslim and their significant other from another faith.
Now Khan, son of a seamstress and a Pakistani immigrant bus driver, will be relived he can travel across the pond confident he will be able to visit the richest country on earth.
Trump said he was pleased to see Khan elected, He said: “I was happy to see that … I think it’s a very good thing, and I hope he does a very good job because frankly that would be very, very good.
“You lead by example, always lead by example. If he does a good job … that would be a terrific thing.”
Khan indicated he wanted to go to the United States to see the programs the mayors of New York and Chicago were implementing, but that he would have to visit before January in case Trump won the 8 November election.
Khan said: “If Donald Trump becomes the president I’ll be stopped from going there by virtue of my faith, which means I can’t engage with American mayors and swap ideas.”