Trump blames terrorism in EgyptAir crash

DONALD Trump has questioned when “will we get tough, smart and vigilant” against terrorism in the wake of the EgyptAir plane crash.

Trump suggested that the EgyptAir crash on Thursday was caused by terrorism.

DONALD Trump was quick to take to social media after hearing about missing EgyptAir Flight 804, blaming terrorism for the crash.

In a tweet posted early Thursday morning, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee weighed in on the investigation while authorities were still scrambling to determine the cause.

“Looks like yet another terrorist attack. Airplane departed from Paris,” Trump posted on Twitter, without citing any evidence.

“When will we get tough, smart and vigilant? Great hate and sickness!”

Looks like yet another terrorist attack. Airplane departed from Paris. When will we get tough, smart and vigilant? Great hate and sickness!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 19, 2016

It was approximately two hours after Trump’s tweet that Egypt’s aviation minister Sherif Fathy said terrorism was more likely than technical failure to be the cause of the crash.

“The possibility of having a terror attack is higher than the possibility of having a technical [problem],” he told reporters at a Cairo press conference.

“I don’t want to go to speculation. I don’t want to go to assumptions like others. But if you analyse this situation properly, the possibility of having a different action aboard, of having a terror attack, is higher than having a technical problem,” he said.

Thank you @LtStevenLRogers. We will respond to terrorism with strength in 2017!https://t.co/Mk4YuuRf4s

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 19, 2016

Trump’s tweet drew criticism from Robert M. Gates, a former secretary of defence and director of the CIA, who was asked about his reaction during an interview on MSNBC’s Morning Joe.

“Well, I think it prejudges the outcome,” Mr Gates said. “Let’s just suppose that it turns out not to be a terrorist event ... then what do you say, having made these allegations?

“It’s always better to wait until you actually know what the facts are before you open up.”

EgyptAir has now retracted a statement that debris from missing flight MS804 had been found, saying “we stand corrected”.

The Airbus A320 was en route from Paris to Cairo with 66 passengers and crew when it went down early Thursday.

Hillary Clinton, who will likely face off against Trump in the November US election, agreed with her rival, saying the crash appeared to be “an act of terrorism”.

Clinton to @ChrisCuomo on #EgyptAir: "It does appear that it was an act of terrorism, exactly how the investigation will have to determine."

— Dan Merica (@danmericaCNN) May 19, 2016