By Nolan D. McCaskill and Kristen East
06/12/16 01:34 PM EDT
Updated 06/12/16 04:53 PM EDT
Donald Trump wasted little time seeking political advantage in the massacre at a Florida nightclub, taking credit for “being right on radical Islamic terrorism” in the wake of the worst mass shooting in American history.
The suspect in the attack, identified by authorities as a U.S. citizen of Afghan descent named Omar Saddiqui Mateen, killed 50 people and injured another 53 during a rampage through a gay dance club in Orlando. He died in a gunfight with SWAT officers after initially firing shots into the club and later taking hostages.
“Appreciate the congrats for being right on radical Islamic terrorism, I don’t want congrats, I want toughness & vigilance. We must be smart!” the presumptive Republican presidential nominee tweeted.
Trump followed up that tweet with a statement expressing “My deepest sympathy and support goes out to the victims, the wounded, and their families.”
But he also attacked President Barack Obama, whom he said “disgracefully refused to even say the words ‘Radical Islam'” during his comments on Sunday afternoon. “For that reason alone, he should step down.
Obama condemned the attack as “an act of terror and an act of hate,” but declined to identify a motive.
Read more: https://www.politico.com/story/2016/06/trump-terrorism-tweet-224237#ixzz4BPGwKvMe
