WASHINGTON, June 3 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump took to Twitter amid the unfolding deadly drama in London on Saturday to offer U.S. help to Britain and to promote his controversial travel ban as an extra level of security for Americans.

British police rushed to two incidents in central London after a van plowed into pedestrians on London Bridge and reports emerged of multiple stabbings in the nearby Borough Market area. Police said the attacks had been declared terrorist incidents.

"Whatever the United States can do to help out in London and the U. K., we will be there - WE ARE WITH YOU. GOD BLESS!" Trump said in one of two tweets.

Whatever the United States can do to help out in London and the U. K., we will be there - WE ARE WITH YOU. GOD BLESS! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 3, 2017

In another tweet, he advised: "We need to be smart, vigilant and tough. We need the courts to give us back our rights. We need the Travel Ban as an extra level of safety!"

We need to be smart, vigilant and tough. We need the courts to give us back our rights. We need the Travel Ban as an extra level of safety! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 3, 2017

Trump's appeal for his travel ban followed his emergency request that the Supreme Court reinstate the executive order that would bar people entering the United States from six predominantly Muslim countries. It has been blocked by lower courts.

Trump was briefed earlier about the London Bridge incident by his national security team, according to White House spokesman Sean Spicer, who said on Twitter that security officials would continue providing the president with updates.

The State Department also said it was monitoring the situation in London closely, and advised American citizens in Britain to heed the advice of local authorities and maintain their security awareness.

See images from the attacks in London:

34 PHOTOS Police respond to report of incidents at London Bridge See Gallery Police respond to report of incidents at London Bridge People leave the area with their hands up after an incident near London Bridge in London, Britain June 4, 2017. REUTERS/Neil Hall TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY Police attend to an incident on London Bridge in London, Britain, June 3, 2017. REUTERS/Hannah McKay TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY Police attend to an incident on London Bridge in London, Britain, June 3, 2017. Reuters / Hannah McKay Police attend to an incident on London Bridge in London, Britain, June 3, 2017. Reuters / Hannah McKay Police attend to an incident on London Bridge in London, Britain, June 3, 2017. Reuters / Hannah McKay LONDON, ENGLAND - JUNE 03: Police officers ni the road near Borough on June 3, 2017 in London, England. Police have responded to reports of a van hitting pedestrians on London Bridge in central London. (Photo by Carl Court/Getty Images) LONDON, ENGLAND - JUNE 03: Counter-terrorism special forces are seen at London Bridge on June 3, 2017 in London, England. Police have responded to reports of a van hitting pedestrians on London Bridge in central London. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images) People speak with a police officer after an incident near London Bridge in London, Britain June 4, 2017 REUTERS/Hannah Mckay LONDON, ENGLAND - JUNE 3 : Police officers cordon off the area around London Bridge, central London, after reports of pedestrians being hit by a white van on London Bridge in London, United Kingdom on June 3, 2017. UK Police said Saturday they were responding to two incidents on London Bridge and Borough Market amid reports of a van mowing down pedestrians. (Photo by Isabel Infantes/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images) People leave the area after an incident near London Bridge in London, Britain June 4, 2017 REUTERS/Neil Hall Police attend to an incident on London Bridge in London, Britain, June 3, 2017. Reuters / Hannah McKay Police attend to an incident near London Bridge in London, Britain, June 3, 2017. REUTERS/Hannah McKay Police attend to an incident on London Bridge in London, Britain, June 3, 2017. Reuters / Hannah McKay LONDON, ENGLAND - JUNE 03: Members of the public leave the area at London Bridge on June 3, 2017 in London, England. Police have responded to reports of a van hitting pedestrians on London Bridge in central London. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images) Police attend to an incident on London Bridge in London, Britain, June 3, 2017. Reuters / Hannah McKay LONDON, ENGLAND - JUNE 03: Police officers clear the area near Borough market at London Bridge on June 3, 2017 in London, England. Police have responded to reports of a van hitting pedestrians on London Bridge in central London. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images) Police attend to an incident on London Bridge in London, Britain, June 3, 2017. Reuters / Hannah McKay Police attend to an incident on London Bridge in London, Britain, June 3, 2017. Reuters / Hannah McKay LONDON, ENGLAND - JUNE 03: Armed policeprep up in Borough on June 3, 2017 in London, England. Police have responded to reports of a van hitting pedestrians on London Bridge in central London. (Photo by Carl Court/Getty Images) Police officers get changed as they attend to an incident on London Bridge in London, Britain, June 3, 2017. Reuters / Hannah McKay Police attend to an incident on London Bridge in London, Britain, June 3, 2017. Reuters / Hannah McKay People speak with a police officer after an incident near London Bridge in London, Britain June 4, 2017 REUTERS/Hannah Mckay Women embrace after an incident near London Bridge in London, Britain June 4, 2017 REUTERS/Hannah Mckay People react as police attend to an incident near London Bridge in London, Britain, June 4, 2017. REUTERS/Hannah McKay A photograph taken on a mobile phone shows British police cars blocking the entrance to London Bridge, in central London on June 3, 2017, following an incident on the bridge. Police are dealing with a 'major incident' on London Bridge, Transport for London said on Saturday, after witnesses reported seeing a van mounting the pavement and hitting pedestrians. / AFP PHOTO / Daniel SORABJI (Photo credit should read DANIEL SORABJI/AFP/Getty Images) Police attend to an incident on London Bridge in London, Britain, June 3, 2017. Reuters / Hannah McKay People leave the area after an incident near London Bridge in London, Britain June 4, 2017 REUTERS/Neil Hall Police attend to an incident near London Bridge in London, Britain, June 3, 2017. REUTERS/Hannah McKay Police attend to an incident on London Bridge in London, Britain, June 3, 2017. Reuters / Hannah McKay LONDON, ENGLAND - JUNE 3 : Police officers cordon off the area around London Bridge, central London, after reports of pedestrians being hit by a white van on London Bridge in London, United Kingdom on June 3, 2017. UK Police said Saturday they were responding to two incidents on London Bridge and Borough Market amid reports of a van mowing down pedestrians. (Photo by Isabel Infantes/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images) LONDON, ENGLAND - JUNE 03: Counter-terrorism special forces are seen at London Bridge on June 3, 2017 in London, England. Police have responded to reports of a van hitting pedestrians on London Bridge in central London. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images) LONDON, ENGLAND - JUNE 3 : Police officers cordon off the area around London Bridge, central London, after reports of pedestrians being hit by a white van on London Bridge in London, United Kingdom on June 3, 2017. UK Police said Saturday they were responding to two incidents on London Bridge and Borough Market amid reports of a van mowing down pedestrians. (Photo by Isabel Infantes/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images) LONDON, ENGLAND - JUNE 3 : Police officers cordon off the area around London Bridge, central London, after reports of pedestrians being hit by a white van on London Bridge in London, United Kingdom on June 3, 2017. UK Police said Saturday they were responding to two incidents on London Bridge and Borough Market amid reports of a van mowing down pedestrians. (Photo by Isabel Infantes/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images) LONDON, ENGLAND - JUNE 03: A police officer escorts members of the public to safety at London Bridge on June 3, 2017 in London, England. Police have responded to reports of a van hitting pedestrians on London Bridge in central London. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images) Up Next See Gallery Discover More Like This HIDE CAPTION SHOW CAPTION of SEE ALL BACK TO SLIDE

The president says the travel ban, a centerpiece of his 2016 campaign, is needed to protect Americans from terrorist attacks. Critics say his reasoning is flawed and assail the ban as discriminatory.

On Thursday, his legal team asked the high court to allow the March 6 executive order to take effect immediately despite being blocked by lower courts. The Supreme Court rarely grants emergency requests. (Reporting by David Morgan; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and Mary Milliken)

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