Donald Trump’s Sweden remarks: #lastnightinsweden takes off

SWEDEN is shaking its collective head over Donald Trump’s remarks and now the President has moved to clear up the confusion.

President Donald Trump, pictured with First Lady Melania, raised eyebrows after referencing an apparent incident that never occurred in Sweden during a rally in Florida on Saturday. Picture: Joe Raedle/Getty Images/AFP

SWEDEN is demanding an explanation from the White House after US President Donald Trump implied a major security incident had occurred.

Mr Trump was speaking at his Make America Great Again rally in Florida on Saturday, where he was promoting the message about keeping his country safe.

But it’s what he said next that left many puzzled, and prompted a please explain from the Swedish embassy in Washington.

“Sweden. Who would believe this? Sweden. They took in large numbers,” he told the rally. “They’re having problems like they never thought possible.”

Mr Trump didn’t give any details over the reference to Sweden or what incident this could have been referring to, but many speculated he was implying a terror attack had taken place.

Former Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt summed up the world’s confusion in one tweet, asking what the US President “was smoking”.

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

— Carl Bildt (@carlbildt) February 19, 2017

The Swedish foreign ministry revealed it had no idea what incident Mr Trump was referring to, Reuters reported.

Spokeswoman Catarina Axelsson said: “We have asked the question today to the state department. We are trying to get clarity.”

The White House moved to clarify the situation today, saying Mr Trump was talking about rising crime and recent incidents in general and not referring to a specific incident.

Mr Trump later tweeted that the comment was in reference to a story on Fox News about immigration in Sweden.

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

No incident or attacks involving refugees have been reported in recent weeks across Sweden or elsewhere.

Mr Trump speaks to the press aboard Air Force One before addressing a rally in Melbourne, Florida, on Saturday. Picture: Nicholas Kahm/AFP

The Fox News Tucker Carlson Tonight show aired a segment about documentary maker Ami Horowitz and a film he had made about immigration and Sweden.

The documentary claimed Sweden’s immigration policy was linked to a rise in crime, and claimed the government was attempting to cover-up the link.

It didn’t mention a terror attack taking place in Sweden at the weekend.

However a security incident did take place last month. Three suspected Neo-Nazis were arrested after a Gothenburg Asylum centre was targeted in a bomb attack, leaving one person seriously injured.

Swedish police said the trio belonged to the Neo-Nazi group the Nordic Resistance Movement (NMR), which openly promotes racist and anti-Semitic views, The Independent reported.

Whatever Mr Trump meant, it didn’t take long for Twitter to react, with many Swedes and others poking fun at his remarks using the hashtag #LastNightInSweden.

Scenes of appalling despair #LastNightInSweden pic.twitter.com/qpKPPtJdd0

— Julian Power (@JueRobWilPo) February 19, 2017

I'm safe! In fact, we're all safe here in Sweden.#lastnightinsweden @POTUS @realDonaldTrump pic.twitter.com/tdZnX0O0Qn

— Kenneth Bodin (@KennethBodin) February 19, 2017

live to Interpol ,where we have breaking footage of the terrorist responsible for #LastNightInSweden
Just chilling. pic.twitter.com/1YrNpR5h9q

— Derek J Collins 高德偉 (@dcollinshk) February 19, 2017

Pray for Sweden. #LastNightInSweden #SwedenIncident pic.twitter.com/cZmOW2pXm7

— MadlyMad (@Madly_Mad) February 19, 2017

🇪🇺🇸🇪 Our thoughts and prayers go out to the all the victims of the horrible tragedy that never happened #lastnightinSweden. Sad! 😢🇸🇪🇪🇺🇩🇪

— itsgreat (@itsgreateu) February 19, 2017

After the terrible events #lastnightinSweden , IKEA have sold out of this: pic.twitter.com/Bs1XI7ffKG

— Jeanna Skinner (@JeannaLStars) February 19, 2017

#LastNightInSweden someone ordered two kebabs and a hamburger but never picked it up. Horrible scenes. pic.twitter.com/N7JkottwkF

— Jesper Kihlberg (@Kihlberg90) February 19, 2017

#lastnightinsweden: Free healthcare & education. Paid vacation & maternity leave. Democracy. Just the usual Scandinavian stuff....

— Lars K. Christensen (@lkchr) February 19, 2017

So.. @realDonaldTrump talked about #lastnightinsweden ? It started snowing, lots of people got free health care, I ate too much. #fakenews

— Mia Stålnacke (@AngryTheInch) February 19, 2017

Others also compared it to the non-existent Bowling Green massacre gaffe.

Earlier this month, Mr Trump’s senior adviser Kellyanne Conway said the media had failed to cover the “Bowling Green massacre” carried out by two Iraqi men in Kentucky six years ago.

She also claimed the so-called massacre was why Barack Obama had put a hold on refugees in 2011. She later said she meant to say “Bowling Green terrorists” rather than massacre.

First there was #BowlingGreenMasacre then there was #lastnightinsweden. How many more imaginary attacks before someone gets hurt? pic.twitter.com/TXwC9T3Tod

— Anon (@Lost_Droids) February 19, 2017

All the survivors of the #BowlingGreenMasacre are sending their prayers for the victims of #lastnightinSweden. https://t.co/qpa9PR7lgB

— Brett Krasnov (@brett5355) February 19, 2017

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