State Dept. Warned White House of Violence at Embassies After Trump Tweets

The U.S. State Department warned the White House that President Trump's Wednesday morning retweets of unverified anti-Muslim videos could spur violent protests at U.S. embassies in the Middle East, CNN reported Thursday. The embassies, which were already on high alert, were watchful for any violent reprisal throughout the day, though no incidents have yet to be reported. “It didn't manifest in anything actionable, but it was a big concern,” a State Department official said. “We saw in Cairo and other places that simply posting something on the internet, even if nothing was intended by it, could have real consequences.” The retweeted videos were first posted by the far-right group Britain First and depicted Muslims appearing to commit various acts of violence. The retweets were quickly condemned by U.S. and British lawmakers, including UK Prime Minister Theresa May.