The New York Times reports:
Swedes reacted with confusion, anger and ridicule on Sunday to a vague remark by President Trump that suggested that something terrible had occurred in their country. During a campaign-style rally on Saturday in Florida, Mr. Trump issued a sharp if discursive attack on refugee policies in Europe, ticking off a list of places that have been hit by terrorists.
“You look at what’s happening,” he told his supporters. “We’ve got to keep our country safe. You look at what’s happening in Germany, you look at what’s happening last night in Sweden. Sweden, who would believe this?” Not the Swedes. Nothing particularly nefarious happened in Sweden on Friday — or Saturday, for that matter — and Swedes were left baffled.
“Sweden? Terror attack? What has he been smoking? Questions abound,” Carl Bildt, a former prime minister and foreign minister, wrote on Twitter. Mr. Trump did not state, per se, that a terrorist attack had taken place in Sweden. But the context of his remarks — he mentioned Sweden right after he chastised Germany, a destination for refugees and asylum seekers fleeing war and deprivation — suggested that he thought it might have.
.@brianstelter reacts to President Trump incorrectly claiming at Florida rally that Sweden was attacked “last night” https://t.co/iepAiqFgiQ
— CNN (@CNN) February 19, 2017
Sweden? Terror attack? What has he been smoking? Questions abound. https://t.co/XWgw8Fz7tj
— Carl Bildt (@carlbildt) February 19, 2017
4 suspects identified in the #swedenincident pic.twitter.com/1eBUikYmpc
— Impeach tRump❄️ (@vicsepulveda) February 19, 2017
"There were legs everywhere" – eyewitness. #SwedenIncident pic.twitter.com/XMeIlaW1Px
— ❄️Elle? (@TrickOrTreackle) February 19, 2017
When Sweden sends its Ikea tables, they’re not sending their best. They’re sending Bekant tables that have lots of problems. #swedenincident
— Jun Chung (@jun_julyaugust) February 19, 2017
My heart goes out to everyone who perished in the Swedish Meatball Massacre. Candlelight vigil at IKEA at dusk. #swedenincident
— Bryan #FixACA (@Unpresidented0) February 19, 2017
Never forget. #swedenincident pic.twitter.com/cNpgMaKLbb
— Girls Really Rule. (@girlsreallyrule) February 19, 2017
Previously unseen surveillance footage of #swedenincident. pic.twitter.com/XU9gQZfaKx
— ChristianChristensen (@ChrChristensen) February 19, 2017
If only Frederick Douglass had been in Sweden when that terrible terrorist attack didn't happen. #SwedenIncident pic.twitter.com/Lxs5CLVbg4
— Texas Flyer (@TxFlyer62) February 19, 2017