President Trump on Tuesday—standing beside Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Bethlehem—lashed out at the suicide bomber behind a deadly attack in Manchester hours earlier. Trump spoke Tuesday, after a suicide bomber killed 22 and injured 59 at a concert by pop singer Ariana Grande. The president offered his condolences to the victims and declared those who attack the innocents “evil losers in life.”
“So many young, beautiful, innocent people living and enjoying their lives murdered by evil losers in life,” Trump said. “I won’t call them (attackers) monsters, because they would like that term. They would think that’s a great name. I will call them, from now on, losers, because that’s what they are, they’re losers.”
Trump’s remarks came during a brief media address with Abbas. He began by saying the U.S. stands in solidarity with the people of the U.K., but then he took aim at the attacker.
“The terrorists and extremists and those who give them aid and comfort must be driven out from our society forever,” Trump said. “This wicked ideology must be obliterated.” Authorities in Manchester, meanwhile said it appears there was one attacker who detonated an improvised explosive device at the concert. Although social media accounts linked to ISIS have praised the attack, there has so far been no clear claim of responsibility.
It is not immediately clear if the unidentified man acted alone, but the attacker apparently died at the scene, police said. Some 400 officers worked overnight to help with the investigation. Multiple law enforcement agencies are investigating the explosion, and are treating the incident as a “terror attack.” Trump was in Bethlehem meeting with Abbas. One of Abbas’ top aides said that “this visit will open the way for relaunching the peace process.”
The White House has downplayed the prospect for a significant breakthrough on the peace process during Trump’s visit, his first overseas trip as president.
