Donald Trump on Friday used the explosion on a London tube train, which he blamed on “loser terrorists”, to promote his travel ban and a “proactive and nasty” policy against Islamic State, reported the Guardian.

The president also tweeted: “These are sick and demented people who were in the sights of Scotland Yard.”

When the president tweeted, no suspect had been identified or any group claimed the blast as an attack. Scotland Yard refused to be drawn on the remarks. A spokeswoman said: “It is not something we would comment on.”

There was no immediate response from the White House to questions about the basis of Trump’s assertion.

In the wake of the Manchester Arena bombing in May, British police temporarily suspended intelligence-sharing with the US, following a series of leaks to US media.

CBS disclosed the name of the bomber, Salman Abedi, citing US sources, at a time when British authorities were asking media to withhold the information to protect the investigation. The New York Times then published detailed photographs of the bomb scene which had been taken by British investigators.

On Friday, Nick Timothy, a newspaper columnist who was formerly chief of staff to prime minister Theresa May, wrote on Twitter of Trump’s remarks: “True or not – and I’m sure he doesn’t know – this is so unhelpful from leader of our ally and intelligence partner.”

22 people were taken to the hospital after the explosion, which happened at the Parsons Green station in west London and was being treated as an isolated incident. Four people took themselves to hospitals. The London Ambulance Service said: “None are thought to be in a serious or life-threatening condition.”

Trump’s intervention also carried echoes of his tweets after the London Bridge attack in June, when he criticised London mayor Sadiq Khan’s call for calm.

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