Donald Trump explains ‘Swedish incident’ claim: I heard it on TV report

Donald Trump has said his reference to a non-existent incident in Sweden was based on a TV report he had seen on Fox News. The President had left many people scratching their heads - including the Swedish government - after he falsely suggested there was an immigration-related security incident in the country on Friday night. Illustrating his point about the relationship between terror attacks and refugees, he had told a rally in Florida on Saturday afternoon: “You look at what’s happening in Germany. You look at what’s happening last night in Sweden. Sweden! Who would believe this? Sweden! They took in large numbers, they’re having problems like they never thought possible.

Sweden? Terror attack? What has he been smoking? Questions abound.

Former Swedish foreign minister Carl Bildt on Twitter

No such incident had occurred - and hours after baffled Swedish officials asked the US State Department for clarification on Mr Trump’s remarks, he tweeted: "My statement as to what’s happening in Sweden was in reference to a story that was broadcast on @FoxNews concerning immigrants & Sweden.” Fox News had ran a report on Friday night about alleged migrant-related crime problems in the country - and it is possible Mr Trump was confusing clips from the documentary with a real-time event. According to a White House spokeswoman, Mr Trump had been referring generally to rising crime in Sweden, but not a specific incident in the Scandinavian country.