U.S. uses attack to defend Trump policy

The White House is using the Quebec City mosque killings to make a political defence of President Donald Trump’s controversial national-security approach.

Though the shooting involved exclusively Muslim victims, a spokesman for the U.S. president used the event to argue in favour of the plan limiting travel from seven Muslim-majority countries.

Sean Spicer began Monday’s daily White House briefing by saying the president called Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, during which he offered prayers, condolences, and any law-enforcement help Canada might request.

Spicer then made this point: “This is another senseless act of violence that cannot be tolerated. It’s a terrible reminder of why we must remain vigilant. And why the president is taking steps to be proactive, not reactive.”

Later in the news conference, he made it clear he was talking about the executive order on travel.

Spicer was asked about the executive order of a clampdown on travel from seven Muslim-majority countries and he went back to his earlier remark: “As I said in the statement, the president is going to be very proactive in protecting this country.”

Spicer’s comments come days after Trump signed an executive order Friday imposing a 90-day ban on citizens of seven predominantly Muslim countries looking to enter the U.S. Trudeau responded with a series of “Welcome to Canada” tweets, which were widely taken as a rebuke of Trump.

But the prime minister’s press secretary, Cameron Ahmad, wouldn’t say whether Trump and Trudeau discussed the U.S. travel ban during their call on Monday.

“He’s en route to Quebec City now,” Ahmad said of Trudeau on Monday afternoon. “So that’s the focus for today.”

Trump was one of several political and religious leaders who spoke out about the shooting on Monday, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President François Hollande and Pope Francis.

After regular mass at his Casa Santa Marta residence at the Vatican, Pope Francis met with the archbishop of Quebec, Cardinal Gérald Lacroix. Francis hugged Lacroix and pledged to pray for the victims. After the meeting, Lacroix immediately left Rome for Canada.

The Vatican also issued a telegram to Lacroix in French, calling for “mutual respect and peace.”

“His Holiness Pope Francis entrusts to the mercy of God the persons who lost their lives,” the telegram reads. “He expresses his profound sympathy for the wounded and their families, and to all who contributed to their aid...”

German Chancellor Merkel was shocked by the “despicable” attack, her spokesman Steffen Seibert said.

“If the killers intended to set people of different faiths against each other or to divide them, they must not and will not succeed in that. We stand in mourning beside the Muslim community in Quebec,” Seibert said.

Hollande called the shooting an “odious attack” and offered support for Canada’s leaders.

Hollande, whose country has suffered a string of Islamic extremist attacks, said in a statement that “it was the Quebecois spirit of peace and openness that the terrorists wanted to harm.”

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull also denounced the attack, along with New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and New York Governor Andrew Cuomo.

“My heart breaks for the people of Quebec,” Cuomo wrote on Twitter. “As we learn more, NY stands shoulder to shoulder w QC Islamic Cultural Center & all Canadians.”