Trump Denounces "What Happened In Sweden" (That Didn't Happen)

Yesterday, during President Trump's "campaign rally" in Florida, eyebrows were raised when Herr Trump referenced terrorist attacks around the world and included Sweden in the list. Not just "included," but lingered on the issue.

"We've got to keep our country safe," Trump said during the rally in Melbourne, Florida. "You look at what's happening in Germany, you look at what's happening last night in Sweden — Sweden, who would believe this?"

Trump, discussing terror, seamlessly mentions incident "last night in Sweden".

There was NO "incident" in Sweden last night. pic.twitter.com/XtcC4PRiNU

— Steve Kopack (@SteveKopack) February 19, 2017

From the New York Times:

Nothing particularly nefarious happened in Sweden on Friday — or Saturday, for that matter — and Swedes were left baffled.

Mr. Trump did not state, per se, that a terrorist attack had taken place in Sweden.

But the context of his remarks — he mentioned Sweden right after he chastised Germany, a destination for refugees and asylum seekers fleeing war and deprivation — suggested that he thought it might have.

“Sweden,” he said. “They took in large numbers. They’re having problems like they never thought possible. You look at what’s happening in Brussels. You look at what’s happening all over the world. Take a look at Nice. Take a look at Paris. We’ve allowed thousands and thousands of people into our country and there was no way to vet those people. There was no documentation. There was no nothing. So we’re going to keep our country safe.”

Contrary to Mr. Trump’s allegations, nearly all of the men involved in terrorist assaults in Paris on Nov. 13, 2015, in Brussels on March 22 last year, and in Nice, France, on July 14, were citizens of France or Belgium.

.@brianstelter reacts to President Trump incorrectly claiming at Florida rally that Sweden was attacked "last night" https://t.co/iepAiqFgiQ

— CNN (@CNN) February 19, 2017

From the former Swedish Prime Minister:

Sweden? Terror attack? What has he been smoking? Questions abound. https://t.co/XWgw8Fz7tj

— Carl Bildt (@carlbildt) February 19, 2017

@fuadmb About #swedenincident #lastnightinsweden unclear to us what President Trump was referring to,have asked US officials for explanation

— Embassy of Sweden US (@SwedeninUSA) February 19, 2017

And then he made up a #swedenincident 😂😂 pic.twitter.com/nxzYbKxAV9

— Chris Smith (@Lilyachttty) February 19, 2017

If only Frederick Douglass had been in Sweden when that terrible terrorist attack didn't happen. #SwedenIncident pic.twitter.com/Lxs5CLVbg4

— Texas Flyer (@TxFlyer62) February 19, 2017

Never forget. #swedenincident pic.twitter.com/cNpgMaKLbb

— Girls Really Rule. (@girlsreallyrule) February 19, 2017

UPDATE - President Trump clarifies he was repeating something he saw on TV:

My statement as to what's happening in Sweden was in reference to a story that was broadcast on @FoxNews concerning immigrants & Sweden.

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 19, 2017