President Trump vowed on Tuesday to prevent a “beachhead of terrorism” from forming in the U.S., and promised to “demolish and destroy” the Islamic State.
“We have seen the attacks in France, in Belgium, in Germany and all over the world,” Trump said during his first speech to a joint session of Congress. “It is not compassionate, but reckless, to allow uncontrolled entry from places where proper vetting cannot occur. Those given the high honor of admission to the United States should support this country and love its people and its values.”
“We cannot allow a beachhead of terrorism to form inside America,” Trump said. “We cannot allow our nation to become a sanctuary for extremists.”
“As promised, I directed the Department of Defense to develop a plan to demolish and destroy ISIS – a network of lawless savages that have slaughtered Muslims and Christians, and men, women, and children of all faiths and beliefs,” he said.
Trump’s pledge is an echo of President Barack Obama’s 2014 promise to “degrade and destroy” the extremist terror group. Obama’s formulation was criticized as weak, as it implied reliance on the buildup of regional forces to fight the terrorist group, while the U.S. waged an air campaign designed to weaken the group.
But the president’s language on terror has frequently gone far beyond his predecessor’s. Despite his national security adviser’s reported reluctance to use the phrase “radical Islamic terrorism,” Trump repeated it in his highly-anticipated address to Congress while speaking about the security challenges facing the country.
The president is expected to sign a second executive order on Thursday aimed at immigration and refugee travel from Middle Eastern countries. His first was halted by a court challenge over controversial language.
