Trump is reportedly considering visiting London this week and the plan is already getting picked apart

pulse

June 4, 2017 6:02 PM

This might not be the best time to visit London.

President Donald Trump is reportedly considering visiting London later in the week, ABC News' Jonathan Karl reported on Sunday.

The visit would be intended to show solidarity with Britain in the wake of a string of terrorist attacks that rocked the London Bridge area on Saturday evening.

The attacks began when a white van mowed down pedestrians on London Bridge. Shortly after, three attackers emerged and began stabbing people in Borough Market.

The attacks left seven dead and 48 injured. Twenty-one people are still in critical condition.

The attackers were all fatally shot. The investigation is still ongoing, and the names of the suspects have not been released yet.

The brutal London Bridge and Borough Market attacks are the third terror incident in the UK in three months.

In March, Khalid Masood mowed over pedestrians on Westminster Bridge, killing four, including an unarmed police officer, and injuring 50. In May, 22-year-old Salman Ramadan Abedi carried out a suicide bombing at Manchester Arena following an Ariana Grande concert. Twenty-three people, including children and adults, were killed, and 119 were injured.

Trump's possible visit to London in the wake of Saturday's attacks was widely criticized on Twitter, and many said it would put more pressure on security personnel who are already occupied with managing fallout from the terror attacks.

The president was also reportedly asked to refrain from visiting London this week, with a City Hall source telling The Times' Sam Coates that "it might not be the best time."

If Trump visits later in the week, his appearance would come while the UK was in the midst of an election.

UK Prime Minister Theresa May made a strong statement condemning "Islamic extremism" after the attacks and the internet services companies who give it "the safe space it needs to breed."

London Mayor Sadiq Khan said on Twitter that "we are all shocked and angry today — but this is our city. We will never let these cowards win and we will never be cowed by terrorism."

Trump initially used news of the attacks to tout his travel ban, which has so far been blocked by the courts. "We need to be smart, vigilant and tough. We need the courts to give us back our rights. We need the Travel Ban as an extra level of safety!" Trump tweeted Saturday evening.

On Sunday, he revisited his frequent campaign against "political correctness" and said the US must "get down to the business of security for our people."

He also criticized Khan for his response to the attacks. "At least 7 dead and 48 wounded in terror attack and Mayor of London says there is "no reason to be alarmed!" Trump tweeted. Khan did not say there was no reason to be alarmed at any point.

pulse