US President Donald Trump on Sunday slammed london's Pakistani-origin mayor Sadiq Khan saying it was not the time to be “politically correct”, and touted his controversial Muslim travel ban in view of the london Bridge terror attacks that killed seven people and wounded nearly 50.
"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," Trump said.
In a series of early morning tweets, Trump lashed out at Khan, who reportedly suggested there was no reason for alarm after three attackers drove a van into crowds on london Bridge and then went on a stabbing rampage in nearby Borough Market.
"At least 7 dead and 48 wounded in terror attack and Mayor of london says there is 'no reason to be alarmed!'" he said. "Do you notice we are not having a gun debate right nowIJ That's because they used knives and a truck!"
He was referring to a statement by the london mayor in which Khan said he was "grieving" for the victims and insisted that terrorists "would not win." But the statement available on the official website of the london mayor did not use the phrase "there's no reason to be alarmed," which Trump referred to in his tweet to criticise the Pakistani-origin mayor.
later, a spokesman for Khan said the london mayor would not respond personally to Trump's "ill-informed" tweet.
"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," the spokesman said.
The spokesman said Khan "is busy working with the police, emergency services and the Government" to co-ordinate the response to the cowardly terrorist attack.
Earlier, the US president also used the london attacks to promote and urge for support to his proposed travel ban on people from six Muslim-majority countries.
"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 told his 31.4 million Twitter followers.