President Trump and French President Macron held a joint press conference Thursday, the eve of Bastille day. One year after the Islamic terror attacks in Nice, they pledged to cooperate to “stand against these enemies of humanity, and to strip them of their territory, their funding, their networks, and their ideological support,”.
Both Presidents discussed a wide array of national security topics as well as measures to combat terrorism and internet radicalization.
“When it comes to fighting terrorism, I can say from day one we have seen eye to eye and we are strongly determined to take any necessary measures to root out terrorism and eradicate it no matter where,” he commented referencing online radicalization and cyber crime specifically.
This was President Trump’s commentary on the discussion with President Macron as well as the anniversary of the terror attack one year ago, via Breitbart:
President Trump took the opportunity pay his respects to the victims of the Nice attack, recalling that, “Tomorrow will mark one year since a joyous Bastille Day celebration turned into a massacre.”
“We all remember that – how horrible that was. We mourn the 86 lives that were stolen and we pray for their loved ones.
“We also renew our resolve to stand against these enemies of humanity, and to strip them of their territory, their funding, their networks, and their ideological support,” he pledged.
President Trump indicated that he and Macron had discussed ways their countries could “strengthen [their] vital security partnerships” in meetings with generals and other representatives from the armed forces and security services.
“France has excellent counter-terrorism capabilities,” he said. “French troops are serving bravely in places like Mali, to defeat these forces of murder and destruction. The United States and our allies strengthen our commitments to defeat terrorism.”
President Trump also asserted that efforts to destroy the Islamic State will not be undone by lack of effective post- conflict planning as was seen in Iraq under President Bush or in Libya under President Obama. This show of cooperation between the U.S and France reinforces the front against ISIS and terrorism as a whole, also indicating that the U.S does not intend on repeating its past mistakes in the Middle East.
