Donald Trump Condemns Kansas Shooting In First Address to Congress

“We condemn hate in all its ugly forms, the threats targeting Jewish centres and the Kansas shooting,” he said.

President Donald Trump, flanked by Vice President Mike Pence and House Speaker Paul Ryan, gestures on Capitol Hill in Washington. (Photo: AP)

After facing criticism for not reacting to the Kansas shooting that killed an Indian engineer, the President of USA, Donald Trump on Tuesday condemned the attack in a speech to the Congress.

“Recent threats targeting Jewish Community Centres and vandalism of Jewish cemeteries, as well as last week's shooting in Kansas City, remind us that while we may be a nation divided on policies, we are a country that stands united in condemning hate and evil in all its forms,” he said.

The incident took place at Austins Bar and Grill in Olathe in Kansas City in the US state of Missouri.

During the first 40 days in office, Trump has followed an aggressive homeland security policy – proposing immigration bans, border walls and a roughly 10 percent hike in budget for national security.

He went on to say that he would make sure that the USA does not become a sanctuary for extremists.

Also Read: Kansas Shooting Aftermath: How Do Students in US Universities Feel

Fending off criticism by his political foes that he is insensitive to racism and bigotry, he said, "We are reminded of our nation's path toward civil rights and the work that still remains."

"Each American generation passes the torch of truth, liberty and justice – in an unbroken chain all the way down to the present," he said. "That torch is now in our hands. And we will use it to light up the world. I am here tonight to deliver a message of unity and strength, and it is a message deeply delivered from my heart."