There's an exception to every rule, goes the saying, and it seems that the presumptive Republican nominee is prepared to make one for London's newly elected mayor.
In an interview Monday, Donald Trump said "there will always be exceptions," when asked if Sadiq Khan, London's new mayor and a Muslim of Pakistani heritage, would be allowed to travel freely to the U.S., according to the New York Times.
Trump has previously courted controversy by saying that should he win the presidential elections in November, he would implement a temporary ban on Muslims traveling to the United States, following the attacks in Paris and San Bernardino last year.
Khan quickly responded on Tuesday morning, saying Trump and those around him "think that western liberal values are incompatible with mainstream Islam."
"London has proved him wrong," he said in a statement emailed to CNBC.
"Donald Trump's ignorant view of Islam could make both our countries less safe - it risks alienating mainstream Muslims around the world and plays into the hands of the extremists ... This isn't just about me - it's about my friends, my family and everyone who comes from a background similar to mine, anywhere in the world."
Khan, who was sworn into London's most important position over the weekend, and is the first Muslim leader of a major Western city, had accused the Conservative Party (his Labour Party's main rivals) of using a "Donald Trump playbook," by linking him to extremists. Following its defeat, the Conservative Party was heavily criticized for its London mayoral campaign, including by members of its own party.
Trump said he was "very happy," to see Khan win, according to the New York Times.
"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," he added.
Read the full report on the New York Times website.