TERROR IN MANILA? OOPS, TRUMP DID IT AGAIN

WASHINGTON— It’s the kind of news that would catch the attention of one of the world’s most powerful men and expose what could be a degree of gullibility that pushed US President Donald Trump to quickly tag the assault on a casino resort in Pasay City as an act of terror.

“It is really very sad as to what’s going on throughout the world with terror,” said Trump at the Rose Garden, inserting the statement to his announcement of a decision to junk the 1995 Paris accord on climate.

“We’re closely monitoring the situation but it is really very sad,” Trump said.

“Our thoughts and our prayers are with all of those affected,” Trump added.

Just as Trump had been quick to tag the assault as an act of terror, Philippine police cautioned the public against rushing to judgment. Police chief Ronald dela Rosa said the motive was robbery.

Trump’s statement on the assault on Resorts World Manila brought back previous gaffes made by the billionaire US president.

In February, Trump had been talking to supporters in Florida when he enumerated places that had been targeted by terrorists.

“You look at what’s happening in Germany, you look at what’s happening last night in Sweden. Sweden, who would believe this? Sweden. They took in large numbers. They’re having problems like they never thought possible,” he had said, provoking mockery on social media.

Trump’s statement at that time, apparently referring to a nonexistent terror attack in Sweden, drew humorous posts from Swedish officials.

Users on Twitter, Trump’s favorite social medium, cracked jokes about the apparent miscue using the hashtags #lastnightinSweden and #SwedenIncident.

Former Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt asked: “Sweden? Terror attack? What has he been smoking? Questions abound.”

Gunnar Hokmark, a Swedish member of the European Parliament, retweeted a post that said “#lastnightinSweden my son dropped his hotdog in the campfire. So sad!” Hokmark added his own comment: “How could he know?”

On the Pasay City assault, a spokesperson for the US Department of State said it was unaware of any US citizen being affected but continued to gather information.

Trump said he is receiving updates from his national security team about developments at Resorts World. White House spokesperson Sean Spicer tweeted that “@POTUS is aware of the situation in Manila and being provided updates by his national security team.”

Trump’s statement came apparently as news network CNN also referred to the Resorts World assault as an act of terror.