Trump addresses fatal accident involving U.S. diplomat's wife, says he gets Britain's 'anger' but 'it happens'
In a phone call Wednesday, British Prime Minster Boris Johnson raised with President Trump the case of an American diplomat's wife who fled Britain, claiming diplomatic immunity, after a fatal Aug. 27 accident in which 19-year-old Harry Dunn was killed. "The prime minister urged the president to reconsider the U.S. position so the individual involved can return to the U.K., cooperate with police, and allow Harry's family to receive justice," Johnson's office said in a summary of the call, adding that the two "leaders agreed to work together to find a way forward as soon as possible."
Trump commented on the incident at a press conference later Wednesday. He did not name the woman, Anne Sacoolas, but said that he understands "the anger from the other side" but diplomatic immunity is "a complex issue," and "we are going to speak to her very shortly and see if we can do something" so "there can be healing." What happened was "a terrible accident," Trump added. "The woman was driving on the wrong side of the road. And that can happen. You know, those are the opposite roads. That happens. I won't say it ever happened to me, but it did."
"When you get used to driving on our system and then you're all of a sudden on the other system where you're driving, it happens," Trump said. "You have to be careful." Dunn's parents, who recently met with British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, said they plan to start a civil action against Sacoolas.
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