Trump baffles Sweden with crime comment

21 February 2017 12:00 am

 

A day after falsely suggesting there was an immigration-related security incident in Sweden, President Donald Trump said on Sunday his comment was based on a television report he had seen.   
Trump 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.   


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.   


Carl Bildt (former Swedish prime minister), wrote on Twitter”Sweden? Terror attack? What has he been smoking? Questions abound,”