The president emphasized that no Americans were killed in Iran’s strike and announced new sanctions, not military action.
President Donald Trump sought to cool the escalating crisis with Iran in a White House address on Wednesday morning, choosing not to announce military retaliation just hours after Tehran launched a missile strike against bases in Iraq housing U.S. troops.
In a televised address delivered from the Grand Foyer, Trump did announce harsh new sanctions against the Islamic Republic, but generally sought to reassure Americans that the U.S. was not on the brink of war.
“No Americans were harmed“ in the attack and the U.S. “suffered no casualties,“ he said, adding that “Iran appears to be standing down.”
“The American people should be extremely grateful and happy,“ Trump said, flanked by senior members of his national security team including Vice President Mike Pence, Defense Secretary Mike Esper, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Mark Milley.
Although the president’s nine-minute speech largely urged de-escalation between Washington and Tehran, Trump said his administration “will immediately impose additional punishing economic sanctions” on the Iranian regime and revealed that he planned to ask NATO to “become much more involved in the Middle East process.”
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BREAKING: Trump says Iran “appears to be standing down” https://t.co/GxOpC1puEG
— POLITICO (@politico) January 8, 2020
Read President Trump's … by kballuck1 on Scribd
The United States is ahead right now on points in this confrontation with Iran. The President had an opportunity to say something terse, firm, leaving open lots of options, and then walking off and looking tough.
Instead we got whatever that omelette of a speech was. Amazing.— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) January 8, 2020
I think that sums it up https://t.co/QrvBgeShAx
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) January 8, 2020
Trump's constant shaking of the news cycle will hurt him: He was counting on Iran to push impeachment off the agenda. But he screwed up, Iran played it smart, and now this is a two-day story.
(And of course, he'll never draw a connection between today and future Iranian attacks.)— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) January 8, 2020
This would be a great moment to have a non-pathological commander-in-chief.
— David Frum (@davidfrum) January 7, 2020
The key to this kind of escalation is to show your opponent you'll act, communicate your threat clearly, show that you have options, indicate that you have more cards to play, but leave the other guy a way out. Check, check, and check. /2
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) January 8, 2020
Trump changed the rules, so Iran changed its rules as well. The U.S. killed an Iranian bad guy – a very bad guy – and so Iran made it personal, showing they'll reach out, hit us directly, and *take responsibility for it*. But not doing a lot of damage wisely left a door open. /4
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) January 8, 2020
I raise all of this as a reminder: The Iranians are good at this. Do not underestimate them. I think Trump did just that when he told his advisers he could scrag Soleimani and there wouldn't be a response. There was. Next time, we could end up in a place we don't want to be. /6x
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) January 8, 2020
That’s always the source of the most potent cognitive dissonance: his followers believe there’s always a plan, that there’s always a three dimensional chess game going on…when it’s not https://t.co/sgqWUrur5L
— Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) January 8, 2020
More reality tv.
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