U.S. President Donald Trump promised to give the military his full support in a speech to troops while visiting the headquarters of the U.S. Central Command, or CENTCOM, at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida.
“We will stand with you 100 percent. We will protect those who protect us and we will never, ever let you down,” he said
In a brief speech following lunch with enlisted personnel, Trump expressed strong support for NATO, but said “We only ask that all of the NATO members make their full and proper financial contribution.”
He also spoke out against Islamic State, which he said is on a “campaign of genocide” across the globe. Without specifically referencing executive orders he has signed in the past week limiting immigration to the U.S., Trump said that he has worked and will continue to work to keep “radical Islamic terror” out of the country.
Trump will also receive briefings during his visit to CENTCOM, which marks his first major public visit with the troops since he took office in January.
CENTCOM directs and enables military operations and activities with allies and partners to increase regional security in the Middle East and Central Asia.
It oversaw a recent raid by U.S. forces on an al-Qaida compound in Yemen that left one U.S Navy SEAL dead..
The body of Navy SEAL Ryan Owens was returned last Wednesday to Dover Air Force Base, where President Trump made a previously unannounced visit to pay his respects.
Another three U.S. service members were injured when their aircraft made a so-called “hard landing” at a staging area for the mission.
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