Story highlights Vice president: "We will drive the cancer of terrorism from the face of the Earth, and we will do so together"

Trump has criticized NATO in the past as "obsolete"

Washington (CNN) Vice President Mike Pence on Monday said now is the time for NATO to "stand united and stand strong" in the wake of the recent terror attack in London.

"We will drive the cancer of terrorism from the face of the Earth and we will do it together," Pence said during a speech at the Atlantic Council's Distinguished International Leadership Awards dinner in Washington.

Seven people were killed and 48 others were wounded on Saturday after three assailants rammed a vehicle into a crowd on London Bridge and then stabbed others in nearby Borough Market. Pence's speech follows President Donald Trump's tweeted criticism of London Mayor Sadiq Khan's handling of the weekend's terror , criticism that prompted a fierce backlash in Britain.

Adm. James Stavridis, former NATO supreme allied commander, called out Trump for his criticism of London's mayor.

Adm. James Stavridis: Pulling out of Qatar "would be a mistake" https://t.co/NX7FqjWFO3 https://t.co/wbgWPgsUek — OutFrontCNN (@OutFrontCNN) June 5, 2017

The criticism of Khan is "deeply unfortunate," Stavridis told CNN's Erin Burnett on "OutFront" Monday.

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