Theresa May refuses to condemn Donald Trump after furious backlash to London Bridge terror outburst
Theresa May has dodged calls for her to criticise Donald Trump after he accused London Mayor Sadiq Khan of suggesting that people should not be “alarmed” by terror attacks on the capital.
In a series of tweets on Sunday after the London Bridge atrocity, Mr Trump said it was time to “stop being politically correct”, adding: “At least seven dead and 48 wounded in terror attack and Mayor of London says there is ‘no reason to be alarmed!'”
Taking questions after a central London election campaign speech, Mrs May tried to sidestep questions about Mr Trump by choosing to praise Mr Khan’s response.
Asked if Mr Trump was wrong about his assessment of Mr Khan, the Prime Minister told reporters: “I think Sadiq Khan is doing a good job and it’s wrong to say anything else – he’s doing a good job.”
Mrs May was also asked if she wanted a period of silence from Mr Trump.
She replied: “I’m very clear that Sadiq is doing a good job as Mayor of London.
“We’re working with him, working together and that’s important – central government and the London mayoralty and his officials working together to ensure we are responding to the attack and looking, as I said earlier, at the work that the police is doing to give the public extra protection and extra reassurance.”
Yesterday , a spokesman for Mr Khan branded the comment “ill-informed” and said the president had deliberately taken out of context remarks made by the mayor to reassure people about the increased police presence in the wake of the attack.
And the senior US official in London on Sunday evening commended Mr Khan for his “strong leadership” in the wake of the attack.
Speaking to the BBC, Mr Khan made clear that he was advising Londoners and visitors not to be concerned by the presence of additional armed police officers on the streets of the capital in the days to come, and not playing down anxieties about the attack itself.
“My message to Londoners and visitors to our great city is to be calm and vigilant today,” Mr Khan said.
“You will see an increased police presence today, including armed officers and uniformed officers. There is no reason to be alarmed by this.”
In response, Mr Trump tweeted: “We must stop being politically correct and get down to the business of security for our people. If we don’t get smart it will only get worse.”
He then tweeted a few minutes later: “At least 7 dead and 48 wounded in terror attack and
Mayor of London says there is ‘no reason to be alarmed!'”
And he took an opportunity to defend his own resistance to gun control in the US, saying: “Do you notice we are not having a gun debate right now? That’s because they used knives and a truck!”
A spokesman for Mr Khan later said: “He has more important things to do than respond to Donald Trump’s ill-informed tweet that deliberately takes out of context his remarks urging Londoners not to be alarmed when they saw more police – including armed officers – on the streets.”
Meanwhile, Mr Trump’s son Donald Jr tweeted a link to an article from last year in which Mr Khan said that being prepared for terror attacks was “part and parcel” of living in a big city, with the comment: “You have to be kidding me!?”
The US president’s outspoken comments stood in stark contrast to the messages of support and sympathy from leading figures from Britain and around the world – although he had earlier tweeted: “Whatever the United States can do to help out in London and the U. K., we will be there – WE ARE WITH YOU. GOD BLESS!”
Messages came from German Chancellor Angela Merkel, new French President Emmanuel Macron, Russian premier Vladimir Putin and Pope Francis, who offered prayers for the victims during a traditional Sunday blessing following Mass at the Vatican.
Lib Dem leader Tim Farron branded Mr Trump “the biggest blowhard in the world” following his tweets.
Lew Lukens, the acting US Ambassador to the UK, also struck a more conciliatory tone, saying in a Twitter statement that “America grieves with you”.
He described the response of emergency services and ordinary Londoners as “extraordinary”, adding: “I commend the strong leadership of the @MayorofLondon as he leads the city forward after this heinous attack.”
Mr Lukens has been US Charge d’Affaires ad interim since the departure of the Barack Obama-appointed Matthew Barzun.
Mr Trump’s choice for the post is Robert Wood “Woody” Johnson IV, the billionaire owner of the New York Jets American football team.
But despite his nomination, the long-time Republican Party fundraiser with no government experience has yet to take up the post.
MORE ON THE LONDON BRIDGE TERROR ATTACK:
Kind-hearted strangers open homes to those caught up in London Bridge attack
Theresa May says general election WILL go ahead in wake of latest London atrocity
Dramatic video shows police storming London Bridge bar minutes after attack
London Bridge eyewitnesses describe attackers shouting ‘This is for Allah’ before knife frenzy
Read more about the victims here
