Manchester attack perpetrators are ‘evil losers,’ Trump says

President Trump extended his condolences to the victims of Monday’s suicide bombing in the English city of Manchester, calling the perpetrators “evil losers.”

“I extend my deepest condolences to those so terribly injured in this terrorist attack and to the many killed and the families, so many families, of the victims. We stand in absolute solidarity with the people of the United Kingdom,” Trump said.

“So many young beautiful innocent people living and enjoying their lives murdered by evil losers in life. I won’t call them monsters because they would like that term. They would think that’s a great name. I will call them from now on losers because that’s what they are.”

Trump in his remarks said our society can have “no tolerance for this continuation of bloodshed.”

{mosads}”We cannot stand a moment longer for the slaughter of innocent people,” he said. “And in today’s attack, it was mostly innocent children.”

The president said the terrorists and extremists need to be “driven out from our society forever.”

“This wicked ideology must be obliterated, and I mean completely obliterated,” he said. “And the innocent life must be protected, all innocent lives.”

At least 22 people died following an explosion outside a concert at Manchester Arena in England. At a press conference later Monday, Greater Manchester Police Chief Constable Ian Hopkins said police are “currently treating this as a terrorist incident until we have further information.” 

The White House said Trump spoke with British Prime Minister Theresa May about the apparent terrorist attack, and the two leaders agreed it was particularly “wanton and depraved” because it targeted children.

“The President reassured the Prime Minister that Americans stand with the people of the United Kingdom and that our resolve will never waiver in the face of terrorism,” the press secretary’s office said in a statement. “He offered American aid in the United Kingdom’s investigation and vowed to continue the mutual fight against terrorism.”

“Our hearts go out to the families of those who have lost loved ones and to those injured in the attack in Manchester, U.K.,” Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said in a statement.

“While it is too early to determine those responsible for this atrocity, we are working closely with the British government and supporting their efforts to investigate and respond to this attack.”

This report was updated at 8:19 a.m.