Saturday night’s terrorist attack in London killed seven people and wounded over 48. It was the second terrorist attack in London in three months, and the second horrific attack in Britain in two weeks. Instead of sending his support and condolences to Britain, which has long been America’s closest ally in the fight against terrorism, President Trump took to Twitter and tried to make political capital out of the horrific tragedy. Even by Trump’s standards, it was a new low for the American president.
As a proud Londoner I would invite you to absolutely go fuck yourself for attempting to capitalise on our tragedy for your shitty policies https://t.co/wxKag3K8J1
— Benedict Townsend (@BenedictTown) June 3, 2017
Spokesperson for London Mayor Sadiq Khan: "He has more important things to do than respond to Donald Trump's ill-informed tweet." pic.twitter.com/sAPEuua4CQ
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) June 4, 2017
Mr. President, every day we are having a gun debate because every day 90 people in our country die from gun violence. Many of them are kids. https://t.co/Pv6z2ILKl1
— Gabrielle Giffords (@GabbyGiffords) June 4, 2017
In a series of callous and ill-informed tweets, President Trump infuriated Britons, insulted London’s mayor, Sadiq Khan, and used the terrorist attack that took place on London Bridge as an opportunity to plug his controversial “travel ban.” Trump didn’t express his concern for the dead or injured. He didn’t express his admiration for the British police, who stopped the terrorist attack and put an end to the bloodshed in eight minutes. Nor did Trump express his solidarity with the British people and a country still reeling from the terrorist attack that, just two weeks ago, claimed 22 young lives at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester.
My god. @POTUS has no idea that the goal of terrorists is to instill a level of fear in the public disproportionate to the actual threat. https://t.co/IgDA4iaEvP
— Chris Murphy (@ChrisMurphyCT) June 4, 2017
He said there was no reason to be alarmed by the increased police presence over the next few days, you hare-brained miscreant. Sit down. https://t.co/dWbMlpqVYO
— George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) June 4, 2017
Your lawyers JUST argued in federal court that it was not a Travel Ban, it was a "pause." Oops. #DeleteYourAccount pic.twitter.com/L3MtvIJ05B
— George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) June 4, 2017
The response to Trump’s Twitter storm was fast and furious. The London mayor, Gabby Giffords, George Takai, J.K. Rowling, and host of others, Londoners and Americans alike, attacked Trump for trying to capitalize on the London tragedy. In his inaugural speech in January, Trump spoke about “American carnage.”
It's called 'leadership', Donald. The terrorists were dead 8 minutes after police got the call. If we need an alarmist blowhard, we'll call. https://t.co/NUiy9j4fBt
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) June 4, 2017
They had to use knives and a truck because they couldn't get hold of guns. Imagine the carnage if they had & had returned police fire. https://t.co/1KiDnZzOUk
— Robert Harris (@Robert___Harris) June 4, 2017
The real American carnage, however, is the fact that the leader of the free world isn’t fit to be in office. Whatever credibility President Trump had left in the world is gone, undermined by a series of egotistical tweets. Trump isn’t a president or a leader. He’s a blowhard who’s debased standards dishonor and embarrass America.