President Donald Trump pointed out on Twitter that the Saturday evening attacks in London had not spurred an immediate debate about gun control because the attackers did not use guns.
After several tweets, including one offering US support to the United Kingdom and another criticizing London Mayor Sadiq Khan, Trump tweeted Sunday morning: “Do you notice we are not having a gun debate right now? That’s because they used knives and a truck!”
The suspects in the attacks wore fake suicide belts, and mowed people down with a van on London Bridge before getting out and stabbing others. Police said they used an “unprecedented” number of bullets to take down the attackers. Guns are heavily restricted in the United Kingdom.
Before Trump’s tweet, a Fox News host made a similar point, saying, “Notice we’re not having a gun debate right now, because they didn’t kill with guns. They killed with knives. They killed with an ideology.”
Some observers drew a line between this tweet and others with Fox News’ morning coverage of the attack. Trump has issued tweets in reaction to Fox News coverage several times since taking office.
Others knocked Trump for the tweet, including former Rep Gabrielle Giffords, who survived a gunshot to the head at a constituent event in 2011 and has since become among the most prominent advocates for gun control legislation.
“Mr. President, every day we are having a gun debate because every day 90 people in our country die from gun violence. Many of them are kids,” Giffords said on Twitter.