President Obama is closely following the sudden Navy crisis in Iran but does not plan to raise the issue in his State of the Union Address tonight to Congress.
Despite efforts by White House officials to assure the public that the president is following the issue and that it is being managed as a non-crisis, Obama Communications Director Jen Psaki told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer that it won’t consume the State of the Union speech.
“There are no plans to address this issue,” she said.
The AP reported that Iran was holding 10 U.S. Navy sailors and their two small Navy boats after the boats had mechanical problems and drifted into Iranian waters, but American officials have received assurances from Tehran that they will be returned safely and promptly.
Paul Bedard, the Washington Examiner’s “Washington Secrets” columnist, can be contacted at [email protected].
