I did NOT make up a terror attack in Sweden! Trump cites Fox News as he hits back in feud with Scandinavian nation and insists he was talking about immigration
- Donald Trump sent out a tweet confirming he was referring to a Fox News report
- Swedish embassy asked US State Department for explanation of Trump's comments about an alleged security incident in Sweden
- Trump made reference to a terror attack in Sweden that never happened
- During his campaign-style rally last night he talked about an incident that supposedly occurred the previous night in Sweden
- White House said Trump was referring to 'rising crime and recent incidents'
- Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom apparently responded by tweeting an excerpt of her speech in parliament last week on Sweden's foreign policy
- Ex-Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt sent out tweet disproving Trump's remark
- The president's remarks were ridiculed on social media by Chelsea Clinton
President Donald Trump sent out a tweet on Sunday saying he was citing a Fox News report when he made reference to a security incident in Sweden during a rally in Florida.
'My statement as to what's happening in Sweden was in reference to a story that was broadcast on @FoxNews concerning immigrants & Sweden,' Trump said in the tweet.
The president addressed supporters during his Florida rally Saturday night saying: 'You look at what's happening in Germany, you look at what's happening last night in Sweden,' he said.
'Sweden. Who would believe this? Sweden,' he added. 'They took in large numbers. They're having problems like they never thought possible.'
The Swedish embassy in Washington immediately asked the US State Department for an explanation of Trump's comments suggesting there been some sort of attack in Sweden on Friday.
They later tweeted: 'We look forward to informing the US administration about Swedish immigration and integration policies.'
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President Donald Trump sent out a tweet on Sunday saying he was citing a Fox News report when he made reference to a security incident in Sweden
The Swedish embassy in Washington had asked the US State Department for an explanation of Trump's comments suggesting there been some sort of attack in Sweden on Friday. He responded with the tweet above
The Swedish embassy in Washington later tweeted: 'We look forward to informing the US administration about Swedish immigration and integration policies.'
The White House responded saying Trump was referring to 'rising crime and recent incidents, in general,' and not 'a specific incident' in Sweden, according to ABC.
The president made reference to a security incident in Sweden that apparently occurred on the previous night, leaving many Swedes baffled.
'We have asked the question today to the state department. We are trying to get clarity,' said Swedish foreign ministry spokeswoman Catarina Axelsson.
Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom apparently responded on Twitter with the remark 'owing to certain circumstances', followed by a passage from her speech in parliament last week on Sweden's foreign policy.
The excerpt said: 'In 2016, 'post-truth' was named Word of the Year by Oxford Dictionaries. Both functioning democracy and constructive cooperation between states require us to speak with, and not about, each other, to honor agreements and to allow ideas to compete. They also require us to respect science, facts and the media, and to acknowledge each other´s wisdom.'
Trump's remarks came as he vowed to protect the US borders while addressing supporters at his campaign-style rally in an aircraft hangar at Orlando-Melbourne International Airport.
But social media users were left puzzled after the president's comments, including Former Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt, who quickly pointed out there was no such attack.
'Sweden? Terror attack? What has he been smoking? Questions abound,' Bildt said in a tweet.
Axelsson told The Associated Press that 'the government wasn't aware of any 'terror-linked major incidents'.
Sweden's Security Police also said it had no reason to change the terror threat level.
Former Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt sent out a tweet questioning Trump's remark
Trump alluded to an apparent nonexistent attack on Sweden as he addressed supporters during a campaign-style rally at Orlando-Melbourne International Airport on Saturday. Bildt is pictured left August 2016
It was also suggested that Trump's remark were likely based on the Fox News interview between host Tucker Carlson (left) and documentary filmmaker Ami Horowitz which aired the night before Trump's rally
Trump went on to allude to previous attacks in Europe.
'You look at what's happening in Brussels. You look at what's happening all over the world,' he said. 'Take a look at Nice. Take a look at Paris,' he said as he promised to keep the 'country safe'.
Trump's remarks were quickly ridiculed by Twitter users including Chelsea Clinton.
'What happened in Sweden Friday night? Did they catch the Bowling Green Massacre perpetrators?' she said while also mocking Kellyanne Conway's interview gaff last month.
The former first daughter had previously slammed the president's adviser after Conway referred to the nonexistent massacre.
A Swedish librarian, who was using Sweden's official Twitter account sent out a tweet saying: 'No. Nothing has happened here in Sweden. There has not [been] any terrorist attacks here. At all. The main news right now is about Melfest.'
The woman suggested Trump's remark was likely to have been based on a Fox News interview between host Tucker Carlson and documentary filmmaker Ami Horowitz which aired the night before.
Trump's remarks were quickly ridiculed by Twitter users including Chelsea Clinton, who previously slammed Kellyanne Conway
Thousands of people listened as Trump spoke during the rally at the AeroMod International hangar at Orlando Melbourne International Airport
A Swedish librarian, who was using Sweden's official Twitter account sent out a tweet debunking Trump's comments
Horowitz spoke about his recent film which explores the seemingly increasing crime rates in Sweden as a result of the country's open-door policy.
The country let in 200,000 refugees as migrants fled their war-torn countries during the summer in 2015, Huffington Post reported.
This would be the third time the Trump administration has been accused of referencing fictitious terror attacks.
Senior adviser Conway infamously made note of the nonexistent 'Bowling Green Massacre' during an interview with Chris Matthews last month.
White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer referred to an 'Atlanta attack' earlier this month, but later corrected himself saying he had meant to say Orlando.
Other Twitter users were quick to mock Trump's comments, tweeting a manual on how to build a border wall from popular Swedish furniture store IKEA
- Donald Trump Appears To Make Up Sweden Terror Attack | The Huffington Post
- Sweden asks US to clarify Trump's comments on Sweden incident | TheHill
- Swedes scratch heads at Trump's suggestion of major incident | Daily Mail Online
- ABC News Politics on Twitter: "LATEST: Pres. Trump was speaking of "rising crime and recent incidents, in general," not "a specific incident" in Sweden, White House says."
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