The White House has attempted to justify Donald Trump’s extraordinary spat with Sadiq Khan by denying he was “picking a fight” despite the President calling the Mayor of London “pathetic” just days after terror struck the capital.
During a press briefing, Deputy Press Secretary, Sarah Huckabee, was asked on three separate occasions about the series of tweets written by Trump.
Khan, the first elected Muslim mayor of a European city, said on Sunday there was “no reason to be alarmed” by an increased police presence in the capital over the coming days.
But Trump twisted his words to reference the number of people killed and injured by the terrorists.
Yet Khan actually said:
Londoners will see an increased police presence today and over the course of the next few days. There’s no reason to be alarmed. One of the things the police and all of us need to do is ensure that we’re as safe as we possibly can be. I’m reassured that we are one of the safest global cities in the world, if not the safest global city, but we always evolve and review to make sure we’re as safe as we possibly can be.
A spokesperson for the Mayor’s office said of Trump’s latest tweet: “Nothing has changed since yesterday.
“The mayor is focused on dealing with Saturday’s horrific and cowardly attack and working with the police, the emergency services and the Government to keep London safe.”