Donald Trump tweeted a link to Breitbart, ​a far-right website that peddles xenophobia and extremist ideologies, as a terrorist conducted a brutal massacre in New Zealand after releasing a manifesto that celebrated the US president as “a symbol of renewed white identity and common purpose.”

The tragedy, in which two mosques were seemingly the target of a terrorist attack spearheaded by an Australian 28-year-old white male, occurred on Friday in Christchurch, New Zealand — the same day Breitbart featured an interview with Mr Trump on its homepage.

The president responded to the mass shootings the following morning on Twitter in a statement that failed to describe the event as an act of terror, as New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern had called it the night before. He also deleted his tweet to the Breitbart website the day after the attack.

“My warmest sympathy and best wishes goes out to the people of New Zealand after the horrible massacre in the Mosques,” Mr Trump wrote. “49 innocent people have so senselessly died, with so many more seriously injured. The U.S. stands by New Zealand for anything we can do.”

He added, “God bless all!”

At least 49 killed in New Zealand terror attack Show all 17 1 /17 At least 49 killed in New Zealand terror attack At least 49 killed in New Zealand terror attack Paramedics assist a man wounded in the shootings EPA At least 49 killed in New Zealand terror attack Bloodied bandages lie on the road following the shootings EPA At least 49 killed in New Zealand terror attack Police officers console a man at the scene of the shootings AP At least 49 killed in New Zealand terror attack New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern speaks at a press conference following the shootings Getty At least 49 killed in New Zealand terror attack Masjid Al Noor mosque on Deans Avenue in Christchurch, the scene of the first shooting EPA At least 49 killed in New Zealand terror attack A tribute left near the Linwood Masjid mosque. The letter reads: thinking of everyone on this most tragic of days. We are neighbours & community here in Linwood & our hearts are with you Getty At least 49 killed in New Zealand terror attack Armed police stand at the scene of the attack AFP/Getty At least 49 killed in New Zealand terror attack A forensic official works at the scene AFP/Getty At least 49 killed in New Zealand terror attack A car damaged in the shooting AFP/Getty At least 49 killed in New Zealand terror attack Armed police stand at the scene of the attack Getty At least 49 killed in New Zealand terror attack A survivor stands outside Christchurch hospital Getty At least 49 killed in New Zealand terror attack Emergency responders help a wounded man at the scene of the shooting at a mosque in Christchurch AP At least 49 killed in New Zealand terror attack People wait near the scene of the shootings AP At least 49 killed in New Zealand terror attack Paramedics help a wounded man at the scene of the shooting at a mosque in Christchurch AP At least 49 killed in New Zealand terror attack Members of the Armed Offenders Squad push back members of the public at the scene EPA At least 49 killed in New Zealand terror attack Ambulances at the scene of the shootings AP At least 49 killed in New Zealand terror attack New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern speaks at a press conference following the shootings Getty

The Australian man behind the attacks appeared to be a right-wing extremist who described anti-Muslim, anti-immigrant motives in an 87-page manifesto that named the president and right-wing influencer Candace Owens.

He and three other suspects, including two men and one woman, have been taken into custody amid an ongoing investigation.

At least 41 people died after he opened fire in the al Noor mosque, and seven others at the Linwood mosque. The attacker live-streamed the shooting, telling viewers to subscribe to PewDiePie, a popular YouTube star who has faced numerous controversies over anti-Semitic and other hateful content.

The interview Breitbart had published this week featuring Mr Trump included thinly-veiled threats of violence from the president, who he claimed his supporters were “tougher” than his critics on the left and warned things could get “very bad” amid a potential confrontation between the two groups.

“I can tell you I have the support of the police, the support of the military, the support of the Bikers for Trump – I have the tough people, but they don’t play it tough — until they go to a certain point, and then it would be very bad, very bad,“ he said. “But the left plays it cuter and tougher. Like with all the nonsense that they do in Congress ... with all this invest[igations] — that’s all they want to do is — you know, they do things that are nasty. Republicans never played this.”

Critics of the president have decried both the interview and his response to the tragedy.

“It's pretty easy to not be political and say the following,” Joe Walsh, a conservative radio host and former congressman, wrote on Twitter, adding, “The white supremacist, anti-Muslim hate that attacked two Mosques in New Zealand is evil and must be universally condemned.”

“All hate is bad and must always be condemned,” he added. “We pray for our Muslim brothers & sisters.”

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