White House 'warned that Trump tweets could spark protests' at US Embassies in Muslim world
No incidents have been reported to date
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Your support makes all the difference.Officials at the State Department reportedly told the White House they were concerned Donald Trump's inflammatory tweeting could trigger protests at US embassies around the world.
This week, Mr Trump sparked controversy when he tweeted videos purporting to show Muslims attacking non-Muslims, which had originally tweeted by a far right British organisation.
Officials at the State Department were fearful the tweets, which many believed were Islamophobic, could result in protests or demonstrations at US diplomatic premises, particularly those located in Muslim-majority countries, CNN said.
Embassies were placed on alert throughout the day of the tweets, although no incidents have been reported thus far, one State Department official said.
“It didn’t manifest in anything actionable, but it was a big concern,” an official told the network. “We saw in Cairo and other places that simply posting something on the internet, even if nothing was intended by it, could have real consequences.”
The White House declined to say whether it had in any vetted the unverified videos before they were tweeted.
White House press secretary Sarah Sanders defended the President’s decision to tweet them regardless, he was highlighting a real threat.
“Whether it is a real video, the threat is real,” Ms Sanders told reporters.
“That is what the President is talking about, that is what the President is focused on is dealing with those real threats, and those are real no matter how you look at it.”
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