Trump Syria Airstrike Remarks: Full Text Of President's Speech As US Launches Missiles In Response To Chemical Attack

After about 100 people were killed in a chemical attack on Syria’s Idlib province Tuesday, President Donald Trump on Thursday ordered missile strikes on the air base in Syria from which the chemicals were launched.

The U.S. fired around 60 Tomahawk missiles late Thursday, aimed at the Shayrat air base in Syria, which is controlled by Syrian President Bashar Assad. In his address elaborating upon the decision to conduct the airstrike, Trump referred to Assad as a dictator.

Read: Syria Chemical Weapons Timeline- A History Of The Assad Regime Attacking Civilians

Read the full text of the remarks made by the president at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida below:

“My fellow Americans: On Tuesday, Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad launched a horrible chemical weapons 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 in 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 United 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 U.N. Security Council.

Years of previous attempts at changing Assad's behavior have all failed, 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 Syria, and also to end terrorism of all kinds and all types. We ask 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 have passed. And we hope that as long as America stands for justice, then peace and harmony will, in the end, prevail.

Goodnight. And God bless America and the entire world. Thank you.”