President Donald Trump wasted no time responding to the deadly truck incident that claimed the lives of 8 people and injured 11 more in lower Manhattan Tuesday afternoon.

Just over two hours after the attack took place, the president called the suspect a “very sick and deranged person,” offering no condolences to families of the individuals who died.

In NYC, looks like another attack by a very sick and deranged person. Law enforcement is following this closely. NOT IN THE U.S.A.! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 31, 2017

Just an hour later, when many key details are still unknown, the president connected the incident to ISIS.

We must not allow ISIS to return, or enter, our country after defeating them in the Middle East and elsewhere. Enough! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 31, 2017

Less than a half hour later, Trump offered his condolences to the victims and their families, but not without describing the incident as a “terrorist attack.”

My thoughts, condolences and prayers to the victims and families of the New York City terrorist attack. God and your country are with you! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 31, 2017

While New York City law enforcement officials told the New York Times that the suspect shouted “Allahu Akbar,” Arabic for “God is great,” when exiting the vehicle, there has been no official connection made to any kind of terrorism associated with ISIS or otherwise. The FBI has taken over the case and is actively looking into it as a terrorism investigation.


This kind of swift rush to judgement by Trump isn’t unprecendented, he has a proclivity to immediately respond to incidents with non-white suspects as “terrorist attacks.”

This past September, after an explosion hit the London underground system, Trump quickly blamed the incident on a “loser terrorist” and promoted his travel ban, which at the time targeted refugees and citizens from six Muslim-majority nations.

The travel ban into the United States should be far larger, tougher and more specific-but stupidly, that would not be politically correct! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 15, 2017

After a van hit pedestrians in Barcelona, Spain this August, Trump quickly described it as a terror attack as well, before the identity or motive of the suspect was known.

The United States condemns the terror attack in Barcelona, Spain, and will do whatever is necessary to help. Be tough & strong, we love you! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 17, 2017

Soon after, he tweeted again — this time reviving an Islamophobic myth about General John Joseph Pershing, claiming Pershing killed Muslims with bullets soaked in pig’s blood in the Philippines.

Study what General Pershing of the United States did to terrorists when caught. There was no more Radical Islamic Terror for 35 years! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 17, 2017

And after the deadliest mass shooting in modern American history claimed the lives of more than 58 people in Las Vegas in early October, Trump tweeted out his “warmest condolences and sympathies.”

My warmest condolences and sympathies to the victims and families of the terrible Las Vegas shooting. God bless you! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 2, 2017

The difference being, of course, that at the time current reports indicated that the Las Vegas shooter was a white male named Stephen Paddock.


Many media outlets are following the president’s lead by labeling the incident as a terrorist attack, though it isn’t known yet exactly the NYPD is using as evidence to declare the incident as an “act of terror,” as New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) described it. Terrorism experts have commented in the wake of the Las Vegas shooting that America has a skewed perception as to what constitutes “terrorism,” omitting that word when describing white suspects and reserving it for non-white suspects.