Trump Defends Syria Pullout During Unannounced Visit to Soldiers in Iraq: ‘Time For Us to Start Using Our Head’
BREAKING: President Trump visits Iraq in his first war zone visit as president. https://t.co/5uPfjfRYJk pic.twitter.com/KURZAPyYia
— NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt (@NBCNightlyNews) December 26, 2018
President Donald Trump delivered a speech to U.S. soldiers on Wednesday after making his first visit to troops operating in an active combat zone.
The president and First Lady Melania Trump both met with military operatives at Al Asad Air Base after making a surprise trip to Iraq. The First Family was followed by the White House press pool throughout the trip, and Bloomberg reports that Trump spoke of how American troops will remain in Iraq to continue regional campaigns against terrorist organizations like ISIS.
“If we see something happening with ISIS that we don’t like, we can hit them so fast and so hard they really won’t know what the hell happened,” Trump said. “We’ve knocked them silly.”
Bloomberg’s Jennifer Epstein also reports that Trump also used his speech to defend the move to U.S. forces out of Syria.
Trump used his visit to Iraq to defend pulling U.S. forces from Syria. “It’s time for us to start using our head. We don’t want to be taken advantage of anymore.” pic.twitter.com/YCYqicOv3s
— Jennifer Epstein (@jeneps) December 26, 2018
And he also talked about the ongoing shutdown fight, and his belief that a Southern border wall is needed.
How long will the government shutdown last? “Whatever it takes. We’re going to have a wall. We’re going to have safety,” Trump says in Iraq. Won’t say if he’d accept $2 billion for now.
— Jennifer Epstein (@jeneps) December 26, 2018
“We don’t want to be taken advantage of anymore by countries that use us,” Trump said, according to Epstein.
For security reasons, the White House didn’t allow journalists to report on Trump’s trip for about two hours after he landed, but photos photos have started to emerge, showing various details of the journey.
Pres and Mrs Trump at briefing with US military commanders in Iraq. (Pool photos/Reuters) pic.twitter.com/1HpUKpKfUT
— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) December 26, 2018
Some @GettyImages photos of @POTUS in Iraq pic.twitter.com/sMgfdBwAdL
— Saagar Enjeti (@esaagar) December 26, 2018
Troops take group selfie with Pres and Mrs Trump in Iraq. (Pool photo/Reuters) pic.twitter.com/5ruGwpGlKn
— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) December 26, 2018
Pres Trump addressing US troops in Iraq. (Pool photos/Reuters) pic.twitter.com/bOftObMTzU
— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) December 26, 2018
?MOMENTS AGO: President @realDonaldTrump and @FLOTUS Melania visiting troops at Al Asad Air Base in Iraq… pic.twitter.com/ZUPNZdbJ6w
— Dan Scavino Jr. (@Scavino45) December 26, 2018
[Image via Twitter]
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