Met police commissioner brands Donald Trump’s claims about London crime “complete nonsense”

London’s most senior police officer has forcefully rejected Donald Trump’s portrayal of the capital as a city spiralling into violence, calling the former US president’s remarks “complete nonsense” and urging Londoners to push back against politically charged exaggerations.

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley addressed the claims during a live radio interview, responding to Trump’s repeated assertions that parts of London have become so dangerous that police officers refuse to patrol them. Trump has revived the narrative in recent public comments, painting the city as overrun by violent crime and lawlessness.

Sir Mark dismissed the idea outright. He said there are no “no-go areas” in London and described suggestions that officers avoid certain neighbourhoods as entirely false. According to the commissioner, the claims bear no resemblance to the reality of policing in the capital.

“How anybody can suggest that the UK is violent in the way it’s described is completely ridiculous,” he said. “There are no places where officers won’t go. That’s simply untrue.”

The commissioner backed his comments by pointing to comparative crime data, noting that London’s homicide rate is lower than that of every US state and far below levels seen in several major American cities. He added that violent crime in the capital has fallen in recent years, undermining Trump’s portrayal of London as a city in crisis.

The remarks mark the latest chapter in a long-running clash between Trump and London’s leadership. The former president has repeatedly targeted Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan, criticising his approach to policing and public safety. His comments have often drawn sharp responses from UK officials, who accuse Trump of misrepresenting facts for political effect.

Sir Mark acknowledged that crime remains a serious issue, as it does in all major cities, but said exaggeration damages public understanding and confidence. He warned against narratives that portray London as unsafe without evidence to support the claims.

“There’s a trend of trying to rubbish London,” he said. “Some of that is driven by politics, and we who are proud Londoners need to fight back against it.”

Recent figures from City Hall show a decline in offences involving serious violence, with thousands fewer incidents recorded compared with the previous year. Police leaders say targeted operations, neighbourhood policing and intelligence-led strategies have contributed to the improvement, even as challenges remain.

Sir Mark’s intervention has sparked debate across the political spectrum. Supporters have praised him for publicly correcting what they see as dangerous misinformation, while critics argue that crime statistics do not always reflect the lived experience of communities affected by violence.

The commissioner rejected the suggestion that acknowledging improvements means ignoring victims. Instead, he said honesty about crime trends is essential for effective policing and public trust.

Trump’s comments come at a time when crime and immigration remain central themes in his political messaging, particularly in relation to major cities run by political opponents. UK officials have repeatedly accused him of using Britain and London in particular as a rhetorical device rather than engaging with reality.

For Sir Mark, the issue is simple. London faces challenges, but it is not the lawless city Trump describes. By confronting the claims directly, the commissioner has drawn a clear line between political rhetoric and the facts on the ground and signalled that Britain’s capital will not quietly accept being portrayed as a city in collapse.