Full Text and Video of President Trump’s Remarks After U.S. Bombing of Syria
‘Assad Choked Out the Lives of Helpless Men, Women and Children’
Tonight U.S. military forces bombed a Syrian military airbase with approximately 50 Tomahawk missiles in response to President Bashar al-Assad using chemical nerve agents on his own people earlier this week.
Assad’s use of chemical weapons – the Turkish government has said sarin gas, an outlawed weapon of mass destruction – which some have called a war crime, left scores dead, including babies in diapers, as some have reported.
From his Mar-a-Lago estate, President Donald Trump delivered the following remarks late Thursday evening, per pool reporters:
On Tuesday Syrian President Bashar al Assad launched a horrible chemical attack on innocent civilians using a deadly nerve agent. Assad choked out the lives of helpless men, women and children. It was a slow and brutal death for so many. Even beautiful babies were cruelly murdered at this very barbaric attack. No child of God should ever suffer such horror. Tonight I ordered a targeted military strike on the airfield in Syria from where the chemical attack was launched. It is in this vital national security interest of the Untied States to prevent and deter the spread and use of deadly chemical weapons. There can be no dispute that Syria used banned chemical weapons, violated its obligations under the Chemical Weapons Convention and ignored the urging of the UN Security Council. Numerous previous attempts at changing Assad’s behavior have all found and failed very dramatically. As a result, the refugee crisis continues to deepen and the region continues to destabilize, threatening the United States and its allies. Tonight I call on all civilized nations to join us in seeking to end the slaughter and bloodshed in Syrian and also to end terrorism of all kinds and all types. We asked for God’s wisdom as we face the challenge of our very troubled world. We pray for the lives of the wounded and for the souls of those who passed. And we hope as long as America stands for justice and peace and harmony will in the end prevail. Good night and God Bless America and the entire world.
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JUST IN: Pres. Trump said “Assad choked out the helpless,†after the US launched missiles into Syria Thursday night. https://t.co/oZz0jUmo8i pic.twitter.com/q8HToGvDJG
— CNN (@CNN) April 7, 2017
UPDATE:
Pentagon statement on Syria airstrikes pic.twitter.com/ITuTEUTQFs
— David Mack (@davidmackau) April 7, 2017
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