Trump takes London attack to justify Muslim ban

By Michael Hernandez

WASHINGTON

President Donald Trump sought to justify his travel ban on immigration from six Muslim-majority countries on Friday, saying an explosion in London is further proof that opposition is mere political correctness.

"The travel ban into the United States should be far larger, tougher and more specific-but stupidly, that would not be politically correct!" Trump said in a flurry of early morning tweets shortly after the blast on a London Underground train.

Asked in the Rose Garden what he meant by the tweet, Trump told reporters "we have to be smarter".

This is not the first time Trump has used an attack in London to try to garner support for the ban.

Following a van attack on London Bridge in June, Trump said, "We need the Travel Ban as an extra level of safety!"

Trump's executive order has been widely criticized as an unconstitutional Muslim ban, including by a series of appellate court judges.

In June, the Supreme Court allowed parts of the ban on new visas for travelers coming from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen to go into effect ahead of oral arguments scheduled for Oct. 10. But it is unclear what exactly the case will address.

The 90-day visa ban expires at the end of September, and a ban on refugee entry expires at the end of October.

The Trump administration could theoretically move to extend either but has yet to indicate that it will do so.