US President, Donald Trump took to Twitter on Monday to criticise the
media and it’s handling of his comments on Sweden two days after
falsely suggesting there was an immigration-related incident in the
European country.
“Give the public a break – The FAKE NEWS media is trying to say that large scale immigration in Sweden is working out just beautifully. NOT!” he said.
Trump, who in his first weeks in office has tried to tighten U.S. borders sharply for national security reasons, told a rally on Saturday that Sweden was having serious problems with immigrants.
“You look at what’s happening last night in Sweden,” Trump said. “Sweden. Who would believe this? Sweden. They took in large numbers. They’re having problems like they never thought possible.”
No incident occurred in Sweden and the country’s baffled government asked the U.S. State Department to explain.
“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 a tweet on Sunday.
Fox News, a U.S. channel that has been cited favorably by Trump, ran a report Friday about alleged migrant-related crime problems in the country.
A White House spokeswoman told reporters on Sunday that Trump had been referring generally to rising crime, not a specific incident in the Scandinavian country.
Sweden’s crime rate has fallen since 2005, official statistics show, even as it has taken in hundreds of thousands of immigrants from war-torn countries like Syria and Iraq.
Trump‘s comment confounded Stockholm. “We are trying to get clarity,” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Catarina Axelsson said.
Sweden’s embassy in the United States repeated Trump‘s tweet about having seen the Fox report, and added, “We look forward to informing the U.S. administration about Swedish immigration and integration policies.”
Trump has been widely criticized for making assertions with little or no supporting evidence.
Monday marked President’s Day, a federal holiday, in the United States. Trump also used twitter to mark the holiday.
“HAPPY PRESIDENTS DAY – MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
Several “Not my President’s Day Rally” protests were planned across the United States in cities including New York, Washington and Los Angeles, later in the day.
“Give the public a break – The FAKE NEWS media is trying to say that large scale immigration in Sweden is working out just beautifully. NOT!” he said.
Trump, who in his first weeks in office has tried to tighten U.S. borders sharply for national security reasons, told a rally on Saturday that Sweden was having serious problems with immigrants.
“You look at what’s happening last night in Sweden,” Trump said. “Sweden. Who would believe this? Sweden. They took in large numbers. They’re having problems like they never thought possible.”
No incident occurred in Sweden and the country’s baffled government asked the U.S. State Department to explain.
“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 a tweet on Sunday.
Fox News, a U.S. channel that has been cited favorably by Trump, ran a report Friday about alleged migrant-related crime problems in the country.
A White House spokeswoman told reporters on Sunday that Trump had been referring generally to rising crime, not a specific incident in the Scandinavian country.
Sweden’s crime rate has fallen since 2005, official statistics show, even as it has taken in hundreds of thousands of immigrants from war-torn countries like Syria and Iraq.
Trump‘s comment confounded Stockholm. “We are trying to get clarity,” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Catarina Axelsson said.
Sweden’s embassy in the United States repeated Trump‘s tweet about having seen the Fox report, and added, “We look forward to informing the U.S. administration about Swedish immigration and integration policies.”
Trump has been widely criticized for making assertions with little or no supporting evidence.
Monday marked President’s Day, a federal holiday, in the United States. Trump also used twitter to mark the holiday.
“HAPPY PRESIDENTS DAY – MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
Several “Not my President’s Day Rally” protests were planned across the United States in cities including New York, Washington and Los Angeles, later in the day.
