Hours after Iran launched a ballistic missile attack on Iraqi bases housing U.S. soldiers in retaliation for the killing of Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani, President Trump on Wednesday sought to assure Americans that the United States was not on the brink of another war in the Middle East. “The American people should be extremely grateful and happy no Americans were harmed,” Trump said in a statement from the White House’s Grand Foyer, flanked by members of his national security team. “We suffered no casualties, all of our soldiers are safe and only minimal damage was sustained at our military bases.”
“Iran appears to be standing down,” the president continued, “which is a good thing for all parties concerned and a very good thing for the world.” Trump reiterated his long-held complaint that the United States does more than its allies in securing Middle East peace. “Today I’m going to ask NATO to be much more involved in the Middle East process,” he said. Trump also criticized the 2015 Iran nuclear deal brokered by former President Barack Obama, from which Trump withdrew in 2018. “Instead of saying thank you to the United States, they chanted ‘death to America,’” the president said. “In fact, they chanted ‘death to America’ the day the agreement was signed.
