Trump renews attack on London mayor over terror attack

Trump and KhanImage copyright
PA

Image caption

This is not the first time the two men have argued in public

US President Donald Trump has again lashed out at London Mayor Sadiq Khan over his assurances to Londoners following a terror attack.

Mr Khan had said people should not be alarmed by an increased police presence on the streets.

But Mr Trump on Sunday accused him of playing down the threat and on Monday said the mayor’s clarification of his statement was a “pathetic excuse”.

Seven people were killed and 48 injured in the attacks on Saturday night.

After the tragedy, the mayor said: “Londoners will see an increased police presence today and over the course of the next few days. No reason to be alarmed.”

The US president tweeted in response: “At least 7 dead and 48 wounded in terror attack and Mayor of London says there is ‘no reason to be alarmed!'”

Media captionDonald Trump challenged London Mayor Sadiq Khan to an IQ test

In response to Mr Trump’s attack, a spokesman for the mayor said on Saturday that Mr Khan “has more important things to do than respond to Donald Trump’s ill-informed tweet that deliberately takes out of context” the mayor’s remarks.

The mayor tweeted later on Monday inviting Londoners to join him for a vigil to victims of the attack, adding: “We stand united in the face of those who seek to harm us & our way of life.”

Mr Trump’s attacks on Mr Khan have drawn condemnation from both sides of the Atlantic.

His critics have accused him of being insensitive and twisting the mayor’s words.

Politicians in the UK on Monday called on the prime minister to withdraw the invitation for Mr Trump’s state visit later this year.

The leader of the Liberal Democrats, Tim Farron, said: “This is a man insulting our national values at a time of introspection and mourning.”

Over the weekend, Prime Minister Theresa May refused to criticise Mr Trump, simply saying that Mr Khan was doing a “good job”.

British voters go to the polls on Thursday in a general election.

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Twitter

“Try to imagine the UK prime minister attacking the Mayor of NYC the day after 9/11,” said European Parliament cabinet member Simon O’Connor.

The US Conference of Mayors, representing more than 1,400 American cities, backed Mr Khan.

“He has risen above this crisis of death and destruction, as mayors continue to do, to alleviate fear, to bring comfort to his people of London,” the mayors wrote in a statement on Sunday.

Media captionSadiq Khan: “[Donald Trump’s] views are divisive, they’re outrageous and I hope he loses – badly”

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio also took to Twitter to defend Mr Khan saying he “is doing an extraordinary job supporting Londoners in a time of pain”.

“President Trump’s attack on him is unacceptable.”

Mr Khan, a Muslim, has previously criticised the president’s plans to temporarily restrict travel to the US from six mainly Muslim countries.

After Mr Trump as a presidential candidate announced his plan, Mr Khan told the BBC he hoped he would “lose badly”, adding that he was a “buffoon”.

He also called Mr Trump’s views on Islam “ignorant”, leading the New York billionaire to challenge him to an IQ test.

In the wake of the London attack, Mr Trump has been tweeting about his stalled travel ban.

Federal courts struck down the first proposal in January. The administration replaced it with a less stringent version order in March, but that also ended up in limbo after legal defeats.

On Monday, the president attacked the Justice Department for revising the original measure, leaving it “watered down” and “politically correct”.

The Trump administration is expected to take the proposal to the Supreme Court next week.

He argues the measure is needed to prevent attacks in the US, but critics say the policy is discriminatory and has little national security justification.

Trump renews attack on London mayor over terror attack