President Donald Trump has sent a flurry of early morning tweets in the wake of the London attacks – criticizing the city’s mayor and bemoaning what he says is political correctness when it comes to national security.
The attack killed seven people in a busy section of London and wounded about 50 people. Trump is calling out Mayor Sadiq Khan for saying there’s “no reason to be alarmed.”
Khan has used those words in a television interview, but it was to reassure Londoners about a stepped up police presence they might see – “No reason to be alarmed.”
Trump used his initial response late Saturday to promote his travel ban – which U.S. courts have blocked. And on Sunday he 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.”
The president notes the attackers used a van to slam into pedestrians and then assaulted people with knives.
“Did you notice we are not having a gun debate right now?”
U.S. President Donald Trump took to Twitter amid the unfolding deadly drama in London on Saturday to offer help to Britain and to promote his controversial travel ban as an extra level of security for Americans.
British police rushed to two incidents in central London after a van plowed into pedestrians on London Bridge and reports emerged of multiple stabbings in the nearby Borough Market area. Police said the attacks had been declared terrorist incidents.
“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!” Trump said in one of two tweets.
In another tweet, he advised: “We need to be smart, vigilant and tough. We need the courts to give us back our rights. We need the Travel Ban as an extra level of safety!”
Trump’s appeal for his travel ban followed his emergency request that the Supreme Court reinstate the executive order that would bar people entering the United States from six predominantly Muslim countries. It has been blocked by lower courts.
Trump was briefed earlier about the London Bridge incident by his national security team, according to White House spokesman Sean Spicer, who said on Twitter that security officials would continue providing the president with updates.
READ MORE: U.K. police dealing with ‘terrorist incidents’ at London Bridge, Borough Market
The State Department also said it was monitoring the situation in London closely, and advised American citizens in Britain to heed the advice of local authorities and maintain their security awareness.
The president says the travel ban, a centerpiece of his 2016 campaign, is needed to protect Americans from terrorist attacks. Critics say his reasoning is flawed and assail the ban as discriminatory.
READ MORE: Officials urge Canadians in London to exercise caution in wake of ‘terrorist’ attacks
On Thursday, his legal team asked the high court to allow the March 6 executive order to take effect immediately despite being blocked by lower courts. The Supreme Court rarely grants emergency requests.