White House press secretary Sean Spicer appeared to use a deadly shooting at a Quebec mosque as justification for Donald Trump's travel ban.
He went on to say, "It’s a terrible reminder of why we must remain vigilant and why the president is taking steps to be proactive rather than reactive when it comes to our nation’s safety and security."
Here's the tape:
The comment came despite Spicer saying that, in a call, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Trump agreed to use caution in drawing "conclusions on the motives at this stage in the investigation."
Spicer did not specifically refer to Trump's order to halt travel to the US from seven predominantly Muslim countries, but that's certainly how people are interpreting the statement.
He even repeated the phrasing later on when asked about the travel ban, saying Trump wouldn't “wait and react," The Star reported.
But given that the mosque shooting was an attack against Muslims, people are finding the comments odd.
Spicer, the victims in the Quebec City shooting were Muslims. How does that justify your ban?
And inappropriate.
When you use an act of terror against Muslims, most likely done by a white nationalist, to justify a Muslim ban som… https://t.co/WRUN7Dh2TG
And people are not impressed.
Wait...Sean spicer just tried to justify the Muslim ban with the Quebec Mosque shooting.............
The lone suspect has been identified as Alexandre Bissonnette, 27. There's no evidence he overlaps with the groups of people Trump's executive order seeks to ban from the US.
So a dude named BISSONETTE shoots up a mosque and Shaun Spicer says it's proof banning Muslims is necessary?
According to The Star, Bissonnette was an "anti-social" political science and anthropology student at Université Laval.
While there were early reports that a second suspect was in custody, authorities later said the other person is now considered a witness.
Sean Spicer just used #Quebec tragedy to justify Trump's Muslim ban. You bumbling idiot. Learn facts, THEN issue statements.
Which has left people wondering exactly what Spicer was trying to say.
In the light of the terrorist attack on Muslims in Quebec City, I assume Trump's ban will be extended to include French Canadians?
Spicer was also criticized for failing to be more specific about exactly who was targeted in the shooting.
On Friday, the WH didn't mention Jews in its Holocaust statement. Now, in response to an attack on a mosque, Spicer won't mention Muslims.
Trump's travel ban, signed last Friday, created immediate chaos at airports as travellers and border officials struggled to figure out who was, and wasn't, allowed into the United States. It was later confirmed that Canadian citizens would not be affected by the ban.