Trump attacks 'deeply troubling' leaks on Manchester investigation; vows to 'get to the bottom of it'
Video report by ITV News Europe Editor James Mates
Donald Trump has described intelligence leaks to the US media as "deeply troubling", and as posing a "grave threat" to US national security.
It comes after sensitive pictures from the Manchester Arena crime scene, including apparent images of a blood-stained detonator and rucksack, were leaked to US media - along with the identity of the bomber.
It prompted fury from UK officials, and the sharing of intelligence was briefly suspended on Thursday before being reinstated following "fresh assurances".
Speaking at a Nato summit in Brussels, the US president vowed that his administration would get to the bottom of what had happened, with a complete review of the intelligence leaks to be conducted by the Department of Justice and other agencies.
"There is no relationship we cherish more than the special relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom," he said.
"The culprit should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."
US media were the first to report 22-year-old British national Salman Abedi was behind the bombing.
In a separate story, the New York Times published police photographs of what appeared to be Abedi's bloodstained rucksack and detonator.
UK government officials were understood to be "furious" with the breach after the New York Times ran the photographs on Wednesday.
A Whitehall source reported that British officials and ministers had made it clear to US counterparts the leaks were "completely unacceptable".
On Thursday, UK police halted information sharing with the US on the attack, stating it would only begin again once it had received assurances no further leaks would happen.
But by that evening, Mark Rowley, the country's most senior counter-terrorism officer, confirmed these "fresh assurances" had now been received from their US counterparts, stating forces were now "working closely" with them.
Emphasising the anger within official circles following the leaks, ITV News Political Correspondent Carl Dinnen said these were "not the kind of words ever really used about Britain's closest ally".
Police chiefs were also highly critical.
A National Counter Terrorism Policing spokesman said: "When that trust is breached it undermines these relationships, and undermines our investigations and the confidence of victims, witnesses and their families."
Greater Manchester Police's Chief Constable Ian Hopkins added: "It is absolutely understandable that this has caused much distress for families that are already suffering terribly with their loss."
Abedi killed 22 people and injured 64 when he detonated an improvised explosive as fans piled out of an Ariana Grande gig.
Police have made several arrests, including two overnight on Thursday, as intelligence services hunt a potential "network" thought to have helped Abedi.
The UK has seen its terror threat raised to the highest level of "critical", with almost 1,000 British Army troops deployed to bolster policing and security around "key locations".
Many of the attack victims have been named, the youngest so far being eight-year-old Saffie Roussos.