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  • WE ARE AWAITING A STATEMENT ON

  • THIS SUNDAY MORNING FROM

  • PRESIDENT TRUMP AT ANY MOMENT

  • FROM THE DIPLOMATIC ROOM IN THE

  • WHITE HOUSE.

  • THE PRESIDENT IS EXPECTED TO

  • ANNOUNCE A U.S.-LED SPECIAL

  • OPERATION MISSIONS KILLED ABU

  • BAKR AL BAGHDADI.

  • THE RAID HAPPENING IN NORTHERN

  • SYRIA ON SATURDAY.

  • SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE WERE ALSO

  • KILLED.

  • PRESIDENT TRUMP TWEETING ON

  • SATURDAY NIGHT, QUOTE, SOMETHING

  • VERY BIG HAS JUST HAPPENED.

  • LET'S BEGIN WITH NBC CHIEF

  • FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT RITUALSHIP

  • RICHARD ENGLE IN NORTHERN SYRIA

  • WITH DETAILS OF THE RAID.

  • RICHMOND, GOOD MORNING.

  • HOW CONVINCED ARE WE THAT WE

  • HAVE AL BAGHDADI?

  • >> Reporter: WELL, U.S.

  • OFFICIALS ARE PRETTY CONVINCED.

  • THEY ARE NOT GIVING THE 100%

  • CONFIRMATION.

  • WE MIGHT HEAR THAT SOON FROM

  • PRESIDENT TRUMP BUT THEY ARE

  • VERY CONFIDENT THE OVERNIGHT

  • RAID WHICH BEGAN AROUND 11:00

  • LOCAL TIME DID, IN FACT, KILL

  • ABU BAKR AL BAGHDADI, THE LEADER

  • OF ISIS, THE WORLD'S MOST WANTED

  • TERRORIST.

  • IT HAPPENED ON A VILLAGE ON THE

  • BORDER OF SYRIA AND TURK AND WE

  • HAVE BEEN TO A HALF DOZEN TIMES.

  • A WELL-KNOWN SMUGGLING VILLAGE

  • SO IT'S BELIEVED THAT BAGHDADI

  • WAS TRYING TO LEAVE SYRIA AND

  • PERHAPS GO TO TURKEY AND STAY IN

  • THIS AREA THAT HAS AN OPEN-FLOW

  • OF PEOPLE.

  • NOW WITNESSES IN THE VILLAGE

  • TELL US THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED.

  • AROUND 11:00, FIRST, THEY HEARD

  • HELICOPTERS COME IN.

  • U.S. SPECIAL OPERATIONS FORCES.

  • THE HELICOPTERS CAME IN IN

  • FORCE.

  • THEY WERE CIRCLING AND OPENING

  • FIRE.

  • THIS WAS NOT A QUICK OPERATION.

  • IT WAS NOT AN IN AND OUT.

  • THEY WERE CIRCLING AND FIRING

  • FOR QUITE A BIT OF TIME.

  • THE WHOLE THING LASTING THREE TO

  • FOUR HOURS.

  • THEN AMERICAN TROOPS LANDING.

  • THEY DIDN'T JUST ATTACK ONE

  • TARGET.

  • THEY TARGETED MULTIPLE HOUSES

  • AND A CAR IN THE AREA.

  • THE MAIN FOCUS, HOWEVER, WHAT

  • THEY THINK WAS THE HIDEOUT OF

  • ABU BAKR AL BAGHDADI.

  • THEY WENT INSIDE.

  • THERE WAS GUNSHOTS.

  • THE WITNESS THAT WE SPOKE TO WAS

  • ABOUT 500 YARDS AWAY.

  • HE SAID HE COULD HEAR THE

  • HELICOPTERS OVER HIS HOME.

  • HE COULD FEEL THE WIND FROM THE

  • HELICOPTER BLADES PUSHING INTO

  • HIS HOUSE, RATTLING THE WINDOWS,

  • BUT HE SAID HE WASN'T ABLE TO GO

  • OUTSIDE.

  • WHAT HAPPENED IN THAT HOUSE,

  • IT'S QUITE UNCLEAR, BUT THIS

  • OPERATION CONTINUED TO UNFOLD.

  • THE U.S. SPECIAL OPERATION

  • FORCES, THE MOST ELITE AMERICAN

  • TROOPS IN THE WORLD WERE ON THE

  • GROUND EXPLOITING AS THEY CALL

  • IT THIS SITE, GATHERING

  • INFORMATION.

  • APPARENTLY KILLING ABU BAKR AL

  • BAGHDADI AND THEN LEAVING AND

  • BLOWING UP THE COMPOUND.

  • >> RICHARD ENGEL IN NORTHERN

  • SYRIA FOR US.

  • LET ME CHECK IN WITH HALLIE

  • JACKSON AT THE WHITE HOUSE.

  • WE SAW PRESIDENT TRUMP LAST

  • NIGHT SEEMED TO TEASE THIS OUT

  • OF WHAT HAPPENED.

  • >> Reporter: YES.

  • >> WHEN DO WE KNOW WHEN THIS

  • RAID WAS GREEN-LIT BY THE

  • PRESIDENT?

  • >> Reporter: IN THE EVENING AT

  • SOME POINT AS THIS WAS GOING

  • DOWN.

  • WE UNDERSTAND FROM SOURCES THAT

  • PRESIDENT TRUMP PERSONALLY

  • APPROVED THIS OPERATION.

  • I'M TOLD A LOT OF WHITE HOUSE

  • AIDS HUDDLED IN THE EVENING

  • TELLING ME THIS MORNING THAT

  • PRESIDENT TRUMP AND A SMALL

  • GROUP OF HIS ADVISERS WERE IN

  • THE SITUATION ROOM MONITORING

  • DEVELOPMENTS WITH THIS

  • OPERATION.

  • THE PRESIDENT, OF COURSE, VERY

  • INVOLVED IN THIS.

  • WHAT IS A CRITICAL MOMENT FOR

  • HIM MOVING FORWARD.

  • WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS, THE

  • PRESIDENT HAS REPEATEDLY TALKED

  • ABOUT WHAT HE DESCRIBES THE

  • DEFEAT OF ISIS AND SOMETHING

  • ALMOST A PART OF HIS CAMPAIGN

  • STUMP SPEECH, IF YOU WILL.

  • IT'S REFERENCED CONSTANTLY WHEN

  • THE PRESIDENT MAKES PUBLIC

  • REMARKS, BUT HE HAS TALKED MUCH

  • LESS, FAR FEWER TIMES ABOUT AL

  • BAGHDADI, HIMSELF.

  • THE PRESIDENT HAS MENTIONED THAT

  • BAGHDADI'S SHORT DETENTION IN

  • 2004 RATHER CRITICALLY.

  • THIS IS WHEN HIS PEOPLE ARE

  • CRITICIZING HIM.

  • WATCH THE PRESIDENT, BASED ON MY

  • REPORTING AND WHAT I'VE HEARD TO

  • TALK ABOUT HOW THIS IS

  • ESSENTIALLY PROOF POSITIVE THAT

  • HIS POSITION IS WORKING.

  • I DON'T KNOW IF WE WANT TO CALL

  • IT A VICTORY LAP BECAUSE I'M NOT

  • SURE HOW DEFINITIVE THERE BE

  • DECLARED THAT BAGHDADI HAS BEEN

  • KILLED BUT I THINK THE PRESIDENT

  • WILL USE THIS TO CONVINCE THE

  • AMERICAN PEOPLE HIS POSITION IS

  • CORRECT ON SYRIA, WHAT HE WANTS

  • TO DO IS WORKING IN A CAMPAIGN

  • TO DEFEAT ISIS.

  • IT'S CERTAINLY A COMMANDER IN

  • CHIEF MOMENT FOR HIM AND UNUSUAL

  • TIME AS YOU KNOW FOR A PRESIDENT

  • TO BE MAKING THESE KIND OF

  • PUBLIC REMARKS ON A SUNDAY

  • MORNING BUT, CLEARLY, THE

  • PRESIDENT AFTER THIS OPERATION

  • WENT DOWN, WE UNDERSTAND LATE

  • YESTERDAY HE WANTED TO BE THE

  • FIRST PUBLIC PRESIDENT TO TALK

  • ABOUT THIS, CHUCK.

  • >> HALLIE JACKSON AT THE WHITE

  • HOUSE, THANK YOU.

  • LET ME GO TO OUR CORRESPONDENT.

  • COURTNEY, HE TOOK CREDIT BUT

  • HANDED OUT A LOT OF CREDIT

  • SAYING THIS IS A FIVE-MONTH

  • OPERATION, IF YOU WILL, TO TRACK

  • AND LOCATE AL BAGHDADI?

  • >> Reporter: YEAH, THERE IS A

  • COUPLE OF PEOPLE IN DIFFERENT

  • NATIONS TAKING CREDIT FOR THIS

  • RIGHT NOW.

  • WHAT WE KNOW FROM THE U.S.

  • MILITARY SIDE IS THAT THESE

  • ELITE SPECIAL OPERATORS WHO WERE

  • A PART OF THIS MISSION ARRIVED

  • IN THE COUNTRY A LITTLE OVER A

  • WEEK AGO HERE IN THE REGION AND

  • THEY STARTED PLANNING, REFINING

  • THEIR PLANS FOR THIS MISSION.

  • THEY HAD RECEIVED SOME ACTABLE

  • INTELLIGENCE AND WANTED TO

  • REFINE IT BEFORE THEY WENT

  • FORWARD AND GOT THE APPROVAL AND

  • WENT FORWARD WITH THIS MISSION.

  • WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE

  • DETAILS ABOUT EXACTLY WHAT

  • HAPPENED.

  • WE KNOW SOME OF THE FORCES

  • LAUNCHED FROM HERE IN IRBIL AND

  • FLEW INTO THE NORTHWESTERN BOARD

  • WITH TURKEY.

  • WHEN THE COMMANDOS LANDED ON THE

  • GROUND AND STARTED THIS RAID

  • THEY WERE MET WITH SOME

  • RESISTANCE.

  • ISIS DEPLOYING AT LEAST ONE CAR

  • OR VEHICLE BOMB TO TRY TO STOP

  • THE RAID WHICH WAS TAKEN OUT BY

  • A U.S. AIR STRIKE.

  • SO WE KNOW THAT THIS MISSION,

  • THIS RAID LASTED SEVERAL HOURS.

  • IT WAS AN EXTENDED PERIOD, BUT

  • MUCH OF THAT TIME WAS ACTUALLY

  • USED FOR THE SITE EXPLOITATION.

  • THAT IS THEM GOING IN AND TRYING

  • TO GATHER UP COMPUTERS, FILES,

  • ANYTHING THEY CAN GET.

  • WE ALSO KNOW THAT AS PART OF THE

  • EXPLOITATION, THEY WILL TRY TO

  • GET DNA OR ANY KIND OF FORENSIC

  • EVIDENCE THEY CAN ON THE TARGET,

  • IN THIS CASE, ABU BAKR AL

  • BAGHDADI, SO THAT WHEN WE GET TO

  • THE LATER STAGE WHEN THIS RAID

  • LIKE THIS BECOMES PUBLIC, THEY

  • CAN TALK TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE

  • AND TO THE WORLD WITH MORE

  • CERTAINTY THAT, IN FACT,

  • BAGHDADI MAY BE THE PERSON WHO

  • WAS TARGETED AND KILLED IN THIS

  • OPERATION.

  • CHUCK?

  • >> COURTNEY IN IRBIL, IRAQ,

  • THANK YOU.

  • LET ME GO TO ANDREA MITCHELL.

  • I UNDERSTAND YOU'VE BEEN GETTING

  • WORD THAT THE PRESIDENT IS

  • MAKING PHONE CALLS TO SOME

  • AMERICANS WHO MIGHT BE HAPPY

  • THAT AL BAGHDADI IS DEAD?

  • >> THE FOLEYS IS THE FIRST

  • VICTIM, FIRST AMERICAN VICTIM OF

  • ISIS.

  • THE WHOLE PROFILE CASES WHERE

  • THE PRESIDENT WAS VERY GAUGED

  • REALLY IN INTENSIFYING WHAT WAS

  • DONE, HAS BEEN DONE ABOUT

  • HOSTAGES OF TERRORISTS.

  • THOSE FAMILIES WILL BE VERY MUCH

  • A PART OF THIS SPEECH, I

  • BELIEVE.

  • IN ADDITION, WE BELIEVE THAT

  • THEY ARE VERY, VERY CONFIDENT IN

  • THAT THEY HAVE GOT THE FORENSICS

  • FROM THE GROUND AND THAT WE WILL

  • HEAR A LOT MORE ABOUT THAT IN

  • THE SPEECH ABOUT BAGHDADI'S

  • IDENTIFICATION.

  • THE OTHER THING ABOUT THIS IS

  • THE PRESIDENT HAS BEEN

  • MISSTATING FOR MANY MONTHS THAT

  • ISIS IS CONQUERED IN CONTRAST TO

  • INSPECTOR GENERAL'S REPORT FROM

  • THE PENTAGON, THEY DID GET RID

  • OF THE CALIPHATE, THE TERRITORY

  • BUT ISIS WAS RESURGENT ACCORDING

  • TO OWN INSPECTOR GENERAL AT THE

  • END OF JUNE.

  • RESURGENCE IN SYRIA AND IRAQ.

  • SO IT'S SIGNIFICANT THAT THIS,

  • AT LEAST IS SYMBOLIC VICTORY AND

  • BAGHDADI WAS GOING TO HAVE MORE

  • OF AN OPERATIONAL ROLE GIVEN

  • WHERE HE WAS FOUND AND THIS IS

  • CLEARLY A VICTORY ROUND FOR THE

  • PRESIDENT AND THEY ARE MAKING

  • THE MOST OF IT WITH THE SPEECH

  • THIS MORNING.

  • >> ANDREA MITCHELL, THANK YOU

  • VERY MUCH.

  • LET ME GO TO JEREMY BASH, FORMER

  • CHIEF OF THE STAFF DURING THE

  • CIA AND THE OBAMA

  • ADMINISTRATION.

  • JEREMY, AL BAGHDADI, SYMBOLIC

  • REARED, OPERATIONAL LEADER?

  • HOW MUCH WAS HE, AT THIS POINT,

  • FROM ISIS?

  • >> Reporter: HE LED FROM THE

  • SHADOWS AND WAS A SYMBOLIC

  • LEADER AND DIDN'T APPEAR MUCH IN

  • PUBLIC AND UNCLEAR IF HE HAD

  • COMMAND AND CONTROL AUTHORITY

  • OVER ISIS ELEMENTS.

  • ISIS INSPIRED ATTACKS ACROSS

  • EUROPE AND SOME IN THE UNITED

  • STATES AND AROUND THE WORLD IN

  • SRI LANKA.

  • IT'S IMPORTANT TO EMPHASIZE THE

  • CALIPHATE NEEDS TO BE DEFEATED

  • AND IT'S UNDER PRESSURE.

  • THE DECISION IN RECENT WEEKS TO

  • ALLOW TURKEY TO GO INTO NORTHERN

  • SYRIA, THE KURDISH FORCES, OUR

  • ALLIES ON THE GROUND HAVE HAD TO

  • ABANDON THEIR TAKE-DOWN OF ISIS

  • AND GUARDING ISIS PRESENCE AND

  • ALLOWED THE ISIS FIGHTERS TO BE

  • RELEASED FROM PRISON.

  • SO A CONCERN WE HAVE TO WATCH

  • THE DAYS AND WEEKS TO COME.

  • >> JEREMY BASH, THANK YOU.

  • LET ME GO BACK TO RICHARD ENGLE

  • IN NORTHERN SYRIA.

  • ON THE SAME ISSUE WHERE ARE WE

  • OPERATIONALLY ON ISIS, HOW

  • IMPORTANT IS THE PUBLIC

  • NOTIFICATION OF THE DEATH OF AL

  • BAGHDADI, HOW MUCH COULD THAT

  • IMPACT ISIS' ABILITY JUST SIMPLY

  • WHETHER ON THE INSPIRATION FRONT

  • OR WHEN IT COMES TO OPERATIONAL

  • ABILITIES?

  • >> Reporter: IT IS IMPORTANT.

  • HE WAS THE LEADER OF THE GROUP.

  • HE WAS THE SYMBOL OF THE GROUP.

  • HE WAS THE FOUNDER OF THE GROUP.

  • ABU BAKR AL BAGHDADI IN MANY

  • WAYS IS ON THE SAME LEVEL OF

  • OSAMA BIN LADEN.

  • OSAMA BIN LADEN ABOUT 9/11 AND

  • NAVY S.E.A.L.s HUNTED HIM DOWN

  • AND FOUND HIM.

  • ABU BAKR AL BAGHDADI DID

  • SOMETHING VERY DIFFERENT.

  • HE DIDN'T JUST FOUND A TERRORIST

  • ORGANIZATION, HE ESTABLISHED A

  • TERROR STATE WHERE I AM RIGHT

  • NOW THAT HE CALLED THE

  • CALIPHATE.

  • THAT STATE HAS BEEN UNDER ATTACK

  • WITH U.S. SPECIAL FORCES, WITH

  • KURDISH ALLIES FOR THE LAST FIVE

  • YEARS.

  • SO THIS IS A CULMINATION OF A

  • FIVE-YEAR WAR AGAINST ISIS THAT

  • THE KURDS HELPED A GREAT DEAL

  • WITH.

  • THEY LOST 11,000 OF THEIR PEOPLE

  • TO GET TO THIS MOMENT AND NOW

  • THEY SAY BECAUSE PRESIDENT TRUMP

  • IS SHIFTING MIDDLE EAST POLICY,

  • THAT THEY ARE GOING TO BE LEFT

  • BEHIND.

  • THAT IS WHY THEY HAVE BEEN SO

  • ANGRY AND WHY OVER THE LAST

  • SEVERAL DAYS WE HAVE BEEN DOING

  • SO MANY REPORTS ABOUT HOW THE

  • KURDS FEEL BETRAYED.

  • THEY ARE UNDER ATTACK AND IT IS

  • BECAUSE OF THE FIVE YEARS OF

  • HUNTING DOWN ISIS, LOOKING FOR

  • BAGHDADI AND GATHERING

  • INTELLIGENCE, CULMINATING WITH

  • THIS MOMENT, TRACKING HIM DOWN

  • TO A SAFE HOUSE IN A LITTLE TINY

  • SYRIAN BORDER VILLAGE, A

  • SMUGGLING TOWN THAT THEY WERE

  • ABLE TO EXECUTE THIS RAID.

  • AMERICANS SPECIAL OPS GOING IN

  • AND KILLING HIM AND EXPLOITING

  • THE FACILITY FOR INTELLIGENCE

  • AND THEN LEAVING.

  • THIS WON'T BE JUST THE ENDS

  • RIGHT NOW.

  • WHENEVER THEY GO ON TO A TARGET

  • LIKE THIS LIKE WITH BIN LADEN

  • THEY LOOK FOR EVERYTHING THEY

  • CAN FIND.

  • ANY KIND OF COMPUTERS AND FILES

  • AND DOCUMENTS AND ACT

  • IMMEDIATELY BECAUSE THAT

  • INTELLIGENCE IS FRESH AND WHAT

  • THEY CALL ACTIONABLE.

  • IT'S NOT JUST ONE OPERATION BUT

  • PROBABLY FOLLOW-ON OPERATIONS IN

  • THE COMING HOURS AND DAYS.

  • >> RICHARD, YOU HAD MADE A

  • MENTION IN ONE OF THE REPORTING

  • NOTES THIS MORNING THAT WE WERE

  • ALL EXCHANGING THAT, LOOK.

  • THIS WAS ACTUALLY AN AL QAEDA

  • AREA, SORT OF AN AL

  • QAEDA-CONTROLLED AREA OR FORMER

  • REMNANTS OF AL QAEDA AND THAT

  • THERE SOME TIMES THAT THE

  • REMNANTS OF IT AND ISIS IRM AT

  • 00:27:28,813 --> 00:27:30,614 DISH WERE AT ISSUE ON HERE.

  • WHAT DOES THAT TELL YOU THEY

  • WERE SEEKING WITH REFUGE WITH AL

  • QAEDA?

  • >> Reporter: BUT IT DIDN'T WORK,

  • DID IT?

  • >> NO.

  • >> Reporter: YOU CAN LOOK AT

  • THIS AS A GREAT INTELLIGENCE

  • COUP BUT IT COULD BE THAT THIS

  • WAS A BIT OF AN INTERNAL HIT,

  • SOMEBODY TURNED HIM IN.

  • AL QAEDA NEVER LIKED ISIS.

  • ISIS WAS TOO VIOLENT FOR AL

  • QAEDA AND THEY NEVER LIKED

  • BAGHDADI.

  • BAGHDADI TOOK A DIFFERENT KIND

  • OF TRECHL TO THE WORLD.

  • HE WOULD BUTCHER HIS VICTIMS AND

  • CUT THEIR HEADS OFF AND SET THEM

  • ON FIRE.

  • AL QAEDA NEVER LIKED HIM AND

  • THOUGHT HE WAS TOO VIOLENT AND

  • TOO UNCONTROLLABLE AND THE FACT

  • HE WENT ON THE RUN AS HIS

  • CALIPHATE WAS SHRINKING TO AN AL

  • QAEDA AREA AND SUDDENLY IT

  • PICKED UP.

  • BY THE WAY, THEY WERE ON THE

  • GROUND, ACCORDING TO WITNESSES,

  • AN ARABIC SPEAKER USING A BULL

  • HONOR ASKING FOR A SPECIFIC

  • PERSON TO TURN HIMSELF IN SO

  • THERE WAS A SPECIFIC SOURCE THAT

  • THEY WERE LOOKING FOR TO SAY,

  • PLEASE TURN YOURSELF IN.

  • THEY DIDN'T WANT TO KILL HIM.

  • THEY HAD SOME COOPERATION FROM

  • THE GROUND IN THIS AL QAEDA

  • AREA.

  • SO YOU COULD LOOK AT IT AS WELL

  • AS BIT OF A MAFIA HIT.

  • THE LARGER ORGANIZATION, THE ONE

  • WITH THE LONGER TERM VISION

  • TURNING ON SOMEONE, A GROUP THAT

  • WAS TOO RADICAL CAUSING TOO MUCH

  • PROBLEM AND TOO EXTREME EVEN FOR

  • THEM.

  • >> RICHARD ENGLE IN NORTHERN

  • SYRIA, THANK YOU.

  • LET ME GO BACK TO COURTNEY IN

  • IRAQ FOR US.

  • DO WE KNOW, YET, IF WE HAVE

  • CAPTURED ANYBODY ALIVE, OR ARE

  • THE BODIES THAT WE HAVE TAKEN

  • ARE ALL DECEASED AT THIS POINT?

  • >> Reporter: THERE HAVE BEEN

  • LOCAL RUMORS AND REPORTING OF

  • THAT, BUT NOTHING OFFICIAL THAT

  • THE U.S. TOOK ANYONE INTO

  • CUSTODY ON THIS.

  • WHEN YOU HAVE -- REMEMBER BACK

  • TO THE RAID WITH OSAMA BIN LADEN

  • ALL KINDS OF RUMORS SWIRLING

  • AROUND WHAT HAPPENED THERE AND

  • SEEING THE SAME THING HERE.

  • ONE OF THE ISSUES WE WILL GET

  • VERY LITTLE FIDELITY ABOUT THE

  • U.S. MILITARY OUT OF THIS

  • BECAUSE OF THE CLASSIFIED AND

  • SPECIAL OPERATIONS NATURE OF THE

  • DELTA FORCE.

  • THESE ARE THE MOST ELITE AND

  • SECRETIVE OF THE U.S. FORCES AND

  • NEVER TEND TO HEAR MUCH ABOUT

  • THEM.

  • GIVEN THE FACT THIS IS SUCH A

  • HIGH PROFILE PERSON WHO SEEMS TO

  • HAVE BEEN KILLED IN THIS RAID,

  • WE MAY GET A LITTLE BIT MORE

  • DETAIL THAN USUAL.

  • WE DO KNOW THAT THE MILITARY WHO

  • WAS THERE EXPLOITING THE SITE

  • WAS ABLE TO GATHER SOME DNA FROM

  • THE PERSON THEY BELIEVE TO BE

  • BAGHDADI.

  • WE KNOW THAT, ACCORDING TO A

  • NUMBER OF U.S. OFFICIALS, THAT,

  • IN FACT, HE DETONATED A SUICIDE

  • VEST OR A BELT.

  • IT'S NOT UNCOMMON FOR PEOPLE --

  • FOR THOSE KIND OF TERRORIST

  • LEADERS OR ISIS CELL LEADERS TO

  • BE WEARING A VEST OR A BELT.

  • WE DON'T OFTEN SEE THEM ACTUALLY

  • DETONATE THEM.

  • SO IN THIS CASE, THAT WAS A

  • LITTLE BIT SURPRISING.

  • THERE WAS EVEN SOME BACK AND

  • FORTH EARLY ON OVER WHETHER HE

  • DETONATED IT HIMSELF OR MAYBE

  • DURING THE COURSE OF THE

  • FIREFIGHT, SOMEHOW IT EXPLODED.

  • U.S. OFFICIALS ARE CONFIRMING

  • THAT TO US.

  • IN THE COURSE OF THEM -- THE

  • U.S. MILITARY GOING THROUGH THE

  • SITE ANDGATHERING UP THE

  • ACTIONABLE INTELLIGENCE AS

  • RICHARD CALLED IT THEY WERE ABLE

  • TO GATHER DNA AND NOW OFFICIALS

  • SEEM SO CONFIDENT IN THE FINDING

  • THAT, IN FACT, THAT WE EXPECT TO

  • HEAR FROM PRESIDENT TRUMP THAT,

  • IN FACT, BAGHDADI HAS BEEN

  • KILLED IN THIS RAID.

  • >> COURTNEY, THANK YOU.

  • LET ME GO TO ANDREA MITCHELL.

  • ANDREA, THE WAY WASHINGTON

  • WORKS, A COMPETING "I TOLD YOU

  • SO" IN THIS DEBATE ABOUT WHAT

  • SHOULD THE AMERICAN PRESENCE BE

  • IN NORTHERN SYRIA AND THE

  • PRESIDENT'S LONG TERM, MIDTERM,

  • SHORT TERM.

  • YOU HAVE SOME ARGUE THAT SAY THE

  • PRESENCE THERE IS NECESSARY IN

  • ORDER TO STRIKE LIKE WE STRUCK

  • TO GET AL BAGHDADI AND PERHAPS

  • THE PRESIDENT AND HIS ALLIES

  • ARGUE THIS IS THE PROGRESS WE

  • ARE MAKING WHICH MAKES ME

  • CONFIDENT IN THE DECISIONS THAT

  • I'VE MADE.

  • WHERE IS THIS DEBATE GOING TO GO

  • IN WASHINGTON?

  • >> IT'S GOING TO THE 2020

  • CAMPAIGN, I SUSPECT.

  • LOOK.

  • THE FACT SYRIAN KURDS, MOST

  • LIKELY, TO THEIR CREDIT, WERE

  • HELPFUL IN THIS OPERATION AND

  • TURKEY WAS NOT.

  • TURKEY WAS ONLY ENGAGED TO

  • DECONFLICT, TO LET THEM KNOW

  • DON'T SHOOT AT US, WE ARE

  • ACROSSING THIS BORDER.

  • THEY WERE NOT INVOLVED AT ALL

  • OPERATIONALLY AS FAR AS WE KNOW

  • FROM WHAT THE TURKS SAID TODAY.

  • THIS RAISES THE QUESTION, WHY

  • DID WE ABANDON THE SYRIAN KURDS

  • WHO WERE OUR ALLIES AND KEEPING

  • THE ISIS FIGHTERS UNDER LOCK AND

  • GO AND GO WITH ERDOGAN IN TURKEY

  • WHERE THEY HAVE BEEN NOT BEEN

  • HELPFUL FOR US.

  • WE NEED TO BE ON THE GROUND TO

  • OF THIS INTELLIGENCE AND YOU CAN

  • ALMOST ARGUE WE WERE GETTING

  • THIS INTELLIGENCE NOW BECAUSE WE

  • ARE AT THAT CRITICAL POINT WHERE

  • ALL U.S. TROOPS WERE GOING TO BE

  • OUT EXCEPT THOSE IN A COMPLETELY

  • DIFFERENT AREA GUARDING THE OIL

  • AND THOSE WERE NOT THE PEOPLE

  • WHO WERE LOOKING FOR ISIS

  • FIGHTERS.

  • I THINK THERE IS GOING TO BE A

  • VERY TOUGH DEBATE ABOUT THIS.

  • WE KNOW THAT THERE IS GOING TO

  • BE A VICTORY LAP TODAY FROM THE

  • PRESIDENT AND THAT IS

  • APPROPRIATE.

  • THIS IS A BIG DEAL.

  • BUT THE FACT IS THERE IS GOING

  • TO BE ARGUMENTS OVER HOW

  • IMPORTANT BAGHDADI WAS TO, YOU

  • KNOW, WHAT JEREMY JUST DESCRIBED

  • AS A FRANCHISE OPERATION.

  • THEY ARE IN LIBYA AND OTHER

  • PARTS OF AFRICA AND IN THE

  • PHILIPPINES.

  • ISIS IS NOW A BRAND AND A

  • HIDEOUS BRAND, AND THEY HAD

  • THEIR OWN ENEMIES, AS RICHARD

  • JUST POINTED OUT, ALONG THE AL

  • QAEDA RIVALS.

  • THIS STORY IS NOT YET TOLD.

  • I AM TOLD THE OPTIONS WERE

  • PRESENTED TO THE PRESIDENT ON

  • THURSDAY, TT HE AUTHORIZED THE

  • GROUND OPERATION ON THURSDAY.

  • SO THIS DID COME TOGETHER VERY

  • QUICKLY.

  • AS THE BIN LADEN OPERATION DID

  • ONCE THEY DECIDED TO GO FORWARD.

  • >> AERNED MITCHELL, THANKS FOR

  • THAT.

  • I FEEL LIKE WE CONTINUE TO GET

  • PIECES OF THIS PUT TOGETHER.

  • LET ME GO BACK TO JEREMY BASH

  • FOR A SECOND.

  • AS YOU JUST HEARD FROM ANDREA

  • THERE THAT WAS GREEN-LIT AS LATE

  • AS THURSDAY.

  • ON ONE HAPPENED, SOME PLANNING

  • BUT THIS CAME TOGETHER FAIRLY

  • QUICKLY.

  • YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH HOW THESE

  • DECISIONS COME TOGETHER THIS

  • QUICKLY.

  • EXPLAIN HOUSE WE COULD GO FROM

  • SOME INTELLIGENCE TO OPERATIONS

  • THAT FAST AND APPARENTLY WE WILL

  • HEAR FROM THE PRESIDENT IN A

  • MINUTE SO THAT IS YOUR TIME

  • LIMIT HERE, JEREMY.

  • >> Reporter: YEAH.

  • QUICKLY HERE.

  • LOOK.

  • PRESIDENT OBAMA IN 2011

  • GREEN-LIT THE OPERATION AGAINST

  • BIN LADEN THREE DAYS BEFORE THE

  • OPERATION.

  • BUT IT WAS MANY WEEKS AND MONTHS

  • IN THE BRIEFING.

  • WE NEED MORE INFORMATION HOW THE

  • WHITE HOUSE WAS INVOLVED.

  • THE BROADER ISSUE WE DON'T KNOW

  • WHAT THIS MEANS FOR THE FUTURE

  • OF ISIS.

  • ISIS IS IN TRANSITION.

  • YES, THEIR LEADERSHIP HAS BEEN

  • DECAPITATED, BUT BECAUSE THEY

  • ARE NOW IN SOME WAYS IN

  • ASCENDENCE BECAUSE THE KURDISH

  • FORCE ON THE GROUND CONTAINING

  • THEM HAVE TO SPLINTER IN THE

  • FACE OF THIS TURKEY INVASION, WE

  • DON'T KNOW WHETHER THAT MEANS

  • THAT ISIS STRONG IN THE MONTHS

  • AND WEEKS TO COME OR IF THEY

  • WILL BE WEAKER.

  • >> DOES THIS MEAN, VERY

  • QUICKLY -- I'M PAUSE IT THERE.

  • HERE IS THE PRESIDENT.

  • >> LAST NIGHT, THE UNITED STATES

  • BROUGHT THE WORLD'S NUMBER ONE

  • TERRORIST LEADER TO JUSTICE.

  • ABU BAKR AL BAGHDADI IS DEAD.

  • HE WAS THE FOUNDER AND LEADER OF

  • ISIS.

  • THE MOST RUTHLESS AND VIOLENT

  • TERROR ORGANIZATION ANYWHERE IN

  • THE WORLD.

  • THE UNITED STATES HAS BEEN

  • SEARCHING FOR BAGHDADI FOR MANY

  • YEARS.

  • CAPTURING OR KILLING BAGHDADI

  • HAS BEEN THE TOP NATIONAL

  • SECURITY PRIORITY OF MY

  • ADMINISTRATION.

  • U.S. SPECIAL OPERATIONS FORCES

  • EXECUTED A DANGEROUS AND DARING

  • NIGHTTIME RAID IN NORTHWESTERN

  • SYRIA AND ACCOMPLISHED THEIR

  • MISSION IN GRAND STYLE.

  • THE U.S. PERSONNEL WERE

  • INCREDIBLE.

  • I GOT TO WATCH MUCH OF IT.

  • NO PERSONNEL WERE LOST IN THE

  • OPERATION, WHILE A LARGE NUMBER

  • OF BAGHDADI'S FIGHTERS AND

  • COMPANIONS WERE KILLED WITH HIM.

  • HE DIED AFTER RUNNING INTO A

  • DEAD-END TUNNEL, WHIMPERING AND

  • CRYING AND SCREAMING ALL THE

  • WAY.

  • THE COMPOUND HAD BEEN CLEARED BY

  • THIS TIME WITH PEOPLE EITHER

  • SURRENDERING OR BEING SHOT AND

  • KILLED.

  • ELEVEN YOUNG CHILDREN WERE MOVED

  • OUT OF THE HOUSE AND ARE

  • UNINJURED.

  • THE ONLY ONES REMAINING WERE

  • BAGHDADI IN THE TUNNEL AND HE

  • HAD DRAGGED THREE OF HIS YOUNG

  • CHILDREN WITH HIM.

  • THEY WERE LED TO CERTAIN DEATH.

  • HE REACHED THE END OF THE

  • TUNNEL, AS OUR DOGS CHASED HIM

  • DOWN.

  • HE IGNITED HIS VEST, KILLING

  • HIMSELF AND THE THREE CHILDREN.

  • HIS BODY WAS MUTILATED BY THE

  • BLAST.

  • THE TUNNEL HAD CAVED IN ON IT,

  • IN ADDITION.

  • BUT TEST RESULTS GAVE CERTAIN,

  • IMMEDIATE, AND TOTALLY POSITIVE

  • IDENTIFICATION.

  • IT WAS HIM.

  • THE THUG WHO TRIED SO HARD TO

  • INTIMIDATE OTHERS, SPENT HIS

  • LAST MOMENTS IN UTTER FEAR, IN

  • TOTAL PANIC AND DREAD, TERRIFIED

  • OF THE AMERICAN FORCES BEARING

  • DOWN ON HIM.

  • WE WERE IN THE COMPOUND FOR

  • APPROXIMATELY TWO HOURS AND

  • AFTER THE MISSION WAS

  • ACCOMPLISHED, WE TOOK HIGHLY

  • SENSITIVE MATERIAL AND

  • INFORMATION FROM THE RAID, MUCH

  • HAVING TO DO WITH ISIS, ORIGINS,

  • FUTURE PLANS, THINGS THAT WE

  • VERY MUCH WANT.

  • BAGHDADI'S DEMISE DEMONSTRATES

  • AMERICA'S RELENTLESS PURSUIT OF

  • TERRORIST LEADERS AND OUR

  • COMMITMENT TO THE ENDURING AND

  • TOTAL DEFEAT OF ISIS AND OTHER

  • TERRORISTS ORGANIZATIONS.

  • OUR REACH IS VERY LONG, AS YOU

  • KNOW LAST MONTH, WE ANNOUNCED

  • THAT WE RECENTLY KILLED HAMZA

  • BIN LADEN THE SON OF OSAMA BIN

  • LADEN WHO WAS SAYING VERY BAD

  • THINGS ABOUT OUR PEOPLE, ABOUT

  • THE COUNTRY, ABOUT THE WORLD.

  • HE WAS THE HEIR APPARENT TO AL

  • QAEDA.

  • TERRORISTS WHO OPPRESS AND

  • MURDER INNOCENT PEOPLE SHOULD

  • NEVER SLEEP SOUNDLY, KNOWING

  • THAT WE WILL COMPLETELY DESTROY

  • THEM.

  • THESE SAVAGE MONSTERS WILL NOT

  • ESCAPE THEIR FATE AND THEY WILL

  • NOT ESCAPE THE FINAL JUDGMENT OF

  • GOD.

  • BAGHDADI HAS BEEN ON THE RUN FOR

  • MANY YEARS, LONG BEFORE I TOOK

  • OFFICE.

  • BUT AT MY DIRECTION, AS

  • COMMANDER IN CHIEF OF THE UNITED

  • STATES, WE OBLITERATED HIS

  • CALIPHATE 100% IN MARCH OF THIS

  • YEAR.

  • TODAY'S EVENTS ARE ANOTHER

  • REMINDER THAT WE WILL CONTINUE

  • TO PURSUE THE REMAINING ISIS

  • TERRORISTS TO THEIR BRUTAL END.

  • THAT ALSO GOES FOR OTHER

  • TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS.

  • THERAPY, LIKEWISE, IN OUR

  • SIGHTS.

  • BAGHDADI AND THE LOSERS WHO

  • WORKED FOR HIM AND LOSERS THEY

  • ARE, THEY HAD NO IDEA WHAT THEY

  • WERE GETTING INTO.

  • IN SOME CASES, THEY WERE VERY

  • FRIGHTENED PUPPIES.

  • IN OTHER CASES, THEY WERE

  • HARD-CORE KILLERS, BUT THEY

  • KILLED MANY, MANY PEOPLE.

  • THEIR MURDER OF INNOCENT

  • AMERICANS JAMES FOLEY, STEVEN

  • SOTLOFF, PETER KASIC AND KAYLA

  • MUELLER WERE ESPECIALLY HEINOUS.

  • THE SHOCKING PUBLICIZED MURDER

  • OF JORDANIAN PILOT, A WONDERFUL

  • YOUNG MAN, SPOKE TO THE KING OF

  • JORDAN, THEY ALL KNEW HIM AND

  • THEY ALL LOVED HIM.

  • HE WAS BURNED ALIVE IN A CAGE

  • FOR ALL TO SEE.

  • ON THE EXECUTION OF CHRISTIANS

  • IN LIBYA AND EGYPT AS WELL AS

  • THE MASS MURDER OF ANOTHER RANK

  • ISIS AMONG THE MOST OF OUR

  • ORGANIZATIONS THE HISTORY OF OUR

  • WORLD.

  • THE FORCED RELIGIOUS

  • CONVERSIONS, THE ORANGE SUITS

  • PRIOR TO SO MANY BEHEADINGS, ALL

  • OF WHICH WERE OPENLY DISPLAYED

  • FOR THE WORLD TO SEE.

  • THIS WAS ALL THAT ABU BAKR AL

  • BAGHDADI, THIS IS WHAT HE

  • WANTED.

  • THIS IS WHAT HE WAS PROUD OF.

  • HE WAS A SICK AND DEPRAVED MAN

  • AND NOW HE IS GONE.

  • BAGHDADI WAS VICIOUS AND VIOLENT

  • AND HE DIED IN A VICIOUS AND

  • VIOLENT WAY, AS A COWARD RUNNING

  • AND CRYING.

  • THIS RAID WAS IMPECCABLE AND

  • COULD ONLY HAVE TAKEN PLACE WITH

  • THE ACKNOWLEDGMENT AND HELP OF

  • CERTAIN OTHER NATIONS AND

  • PEOPLE.

  • I WANT TO THANK THE NATIONS OF

  • RUSSIA, TURKEY, SYRIA, AND IRAQ,

  • AND I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE

  • SYRIIAN KURDS FOR CERTAIN SPORT

  • -- SUPPORT THEY WERE ABLE TO

  • GIVE US.

  • THIS WAS A VERY DANGEROUS

  • MISSION.

  • THANK YOU AS WELL TO THE GREAT

  • INTELLIGENCE PROFESSIONALS WHO

  • HELPED MAKE THIS VERY SUCCESSFUL

  • JOURNEY POSSIBLE.

  • I WANT TO THANK THE SOLDIERS AND

  • SAILORS, AIRMEN AND MARINES

  • INVOLVED IN LAST NIGHT'S

  • OPERATION.

  • YOU ARE THE VERY BEST THERE IS

  • ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD, NO MATTER

  • WHERE YOU GO, THERE IS NOBODY

  • EVEN CLOSE.

  • I WANT TO THANK GENERAL MARK

  • MILLIE AND OUR JOINT CHIEFS OF

  • STAFF.

  • AND I ALSO WANT TO THANK OUR

  • PROFESSIONALS WHO WORK IN OTHER

  • AGENCIES OF THE UNITED STATES

  • GOVERNMENT AND WERE CRITICAL TO

  • THE MISSION'S UNBELIEVABLE

  • SUCCESS.

  • LAST NIGHT WAS A GREAT NIGHT FOR

  • THE UNITED STATES AND FOR THE

  • WORLD.

  • A BRUTAL KILLER, ONE WHO HAS

  • CAUSED SO MUCH HARDSHIP AND

  • DEATH, HAS VIOLENTLY BEEN

  • ELIMINATED.

  • HE WILL NEVER AGAIN HARM ANOTHER

  • INNOCENT MAN, WOMAN, OR CHILD.

  • HE DIED LIKE A DOG.

  • HE DIED LIKE A COWARD.

  • THE WORLD IS NOW A MUCH SAFER

  • PLACE.

  • GOD BLESS AMERICA.

  • THANK YOU.

  • ANY QUESTIONS?

  • >> WHEN DID YOU FIRST HEAR THIS

  • WAS AN OPERATION THAT WAS GOING

  • TO GET STARTED?

  • >> WE HAVE HAD HIM UNDER

  • SURVEILLANCE A WEEKS.

  • WE KNEW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHERE

  • HE WAS GOING AND WHERE HE WAS

  • HEADING.

  • WE HAD VERY GOOD INFORMATION

  • THAT HE WAS GOING TO ANOTHER

  • LOCATION.

  • HE DIDN'T GO.

  • TWO OR THREE EFFORTS WERE

  • CANCELLED BECAUSE HE DECIDED TO

  • CHANGE HIS MIND.

  • CONSTANTLY CHANGING HIS MIND.

  • AND, FINALLY, WE SAW THAT HE WAS

  • HERE, HELD UP HERE.

  • WE KNEW SOMETHING ABOUT THE

  • COMPOUND.

  • WE KNEW IT HAD TUNNELS.

  • THE TUNNELS WERE DEAD-END, FOR

  • THE MOST PART.

  • THERE WAS ONE, WE THINK, THAT

  • WASN'T BUT WE HAD THAT COVERED

  • TOO, JUST IN CASE.

  • THE LEVEL OF INTELLIGENCE, THE

  • LEVEL OF WORK WAS PRETTY

  • AMAZING.

  • WHEN WE LANDED WITH EIGHT

  • HELICOPTERS, A LARGE CREW OF

  • BRILLIANT FIGHTERS RAN OUT OF

  • THOSE HELICOPTERS AND BLEW HOLES

  • INTO THE SIDE OF THE BUILDING

  • NOT WANTING TO GO THROUGH THE

  • MAIN DOOR BECAUSE THAT WAS

  • BOOBYTRAPPED.

  • AND THERE WAS SOMETHING -- THERE

  • WAS SOMETHING REALLY AMAZING TO

  • SEE.

  • I GOT TO WATCH IT, ALONG WITH

  • GENERAL MILLIE, VICE PRESIDENT

  • PENCE, OTHERS IN THE SITUATION

  • ROOM AND WE WATCHED IT SO

  • CLEARLY.

  • >> HOW DID YOU WATCH IT?

  • >> I DON'T WANT TO SAY HOW BUT

  • WE HAD ABSOLUTELY PERFECT AS

  • THOUGH YOU WERE WATCHING A

  • MOVIE.

  • THE TECHNOLOGY THERE ALONE IS

  • REALLY GREAT.

  • A BIG PART OF THE TRIP THAT WAS

  • OF GREAT DANGER WAS THE -- IT

  • WAS APPROXIMATELY AN HOUR AND

  • TEN-MINUTE FLIGHT AND WE WERE

  • FLYING OVER VERY, VERY DANGEROUS

  • TERRITORY.

  • IN FACT, SOME OF OUR LEADERS

  • SAID THAT THAT COULD BE THE MOST

  • DANGEROUS FLYING IN AND FLYING

  • OUT AND THAT IS WHY LAST NIGHT

  • WE WERE SO QUIET ABOUT IT.

  • WE DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING.

  • AND I DIDN'T MAKE MY REMARK

  • UNTIL AFTER THEY HAD LANDED

  • SAFELY IN A CERTAIN AREA.

  • BUT THE FLIGHT IN AND THE FLIGHT

  • OUT WAS A VERY, VERY DANGEROUS

  • PART.

  • THERE WAS A CHANCE THAT WE WOULD

  • HAVE MET UNBELIEVABLE FIRE.

  • RUSSIA TREATED US GREAT.

  • THEY OPENED UP.

  • WE HAD TO FLY OVER CERTAIN

  • RUSSIA AREAS, RUSSIA-HELD AREAS.

  • RUSSIA WAS GREAT.

  • IRAQ WAS EXCELLENT.

  • WE REALLY HAD GREAT COOPERATION.

  • AND YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND, THEY

  • DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WE WERE DOING

  • AND WHERE WE WERE GOING EXACTLY.

  • BUT THE ISIS FIGHTERS ARE HATED

  • AS MUCH BY RUSSIA AND SOME OF

  • THESE OTHER COUNTRIES AS THEY

  • ARE BY US.

  • AND THAT IS WHY I SAY THEY

  • SHOULD START DOING A LOT OF THE

  • FIGHTING NOW AND THEY WILL BE

  • ABLE TO, I REALLY BELIEVE THEY

  • WILL BE ABLE TO.

  • YES, JENNIFER?

  • >> WHAT ROLE DID THE KURDS PLAY

  • IN THIS?

  • >> THEY GAVE US NOT A MILITARY

  • ROLE BUT GAVE US SOME

  • INFORMATION THAT TURNED OUT TO

  • BE HELPFUL, THE KURDS.

  • >> CAN YOU TELL US WHAT THE ROLE

  • OF TURKEY MIGHT HAVE BEEN AND

  • IRAQ?

  • >> WHO?

  • >> WHAT WAS THE ROLE OF TURKEY?

  • HOW DID THEY HELP?

  • >> TURKEY, WE DEALT WITH THEM.

  • THEY KNOW WE WERE GOING IN.

  • WE FLEW OVER SOME TERRITORY.

  • THEY WERE TERRIFIC.

  • NO PROBLEM.

  • THEY WERE NOT A PROBLEM.

  • YOU KNOW, THEY COULD START

  • SHOOTING AND THEN WE WILL TAKE

  • THEM OUT, BUT A LOT OF BAD

  • THINGS CAN HAPPEN.

  • PLUS, IT WAS A VERY SECRET

  • MISSION.

  • WE FLEW VERY, VERY LOW AND VERY,

  • VERY FAST, BUT IT WAS A VERY

  • DANGEROUS PART OF THE MISSION.

  • GETTING IN AND GETTING OUT, TOO,

  • EQUAL.

  • WE WENT IN IDENTICAL -- WE TOOK

  • AN IDENTICAL ROUTE AND MET WITH

  • GUNFIRE COMING IN BUT IT WAS

  • LOCAL GUNFIRE.

  • THAT GUNFIRE WAS IMMEDIATELY

  • TERMINATED.

  • THESE PEOPLE ARE AMAZING.

  • THEY HAD THE GUNFIRE TERMINATED

  • IMMEDIATELY, MEANING THEY WERE

  • SHOT FROM THE AIRSHIPS.

  • >> I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE

  • TIMING.

  • YOU TALKED EARLIER, YOU KNOW,

  • SEVERAL WEEKS ABOUT PULLING

  • TROOPS OUT.

  • YOU KNOW?

  • AND THEN TROOPS BACK IN.

  • AND YOU KNOW?

  • I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE

  • TIMING OF WHEN THIS OPERATION --

  • >> I TELL YOU, FROM THE FIRST

  • DAY I CAME TO OFFICE, AND NOW WE

  • ARE GETTING TO CLOSE TO THREE

  • YEARS, I WOULD SAY WHERE IS AL

  • BAGHDADI?

  • I WANT AL BAGHDADI.

  • AND WE WOULD KILL TERRORIST

  • LEADERS, BUT THEY WERE NAMES I

  • NEVER HEARD OF IT AND NAMES THAT

  • WERE NOT RECOGNIZABLE NAMES.

  • THEY WERE BIG AND IMPORTANT ONES

  • BUT NOT THE BIG NAMES.

  • I SAID WHERE IS AL BAGHDADI?

  • A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, THEY WERE

  • ABLE TO SCOPE HIM OUT.

  • YOU KNOW, THESE PEOPLE ARE VERY

  • SMART, THEY ARE NOT INTO THE USE

  • OF CELL PHONES ANY MORE.

  • THEY ARE VERY TECHNICALLY

  • BRILLIANT.

  • THEY USE THE INTERNET BETTER

  • THAN ANYONE IN THE WORLD,

  • PERHAPS OTHER THAN DONALD TRUMP,

  • BUT THEY USE THE INTERNET

  • INCREDIBLY WELL.

  • HE DIED LIKE A DOING.

  • -- HE DIED LIKE A DOG AND LIKE A

  • COWARD AND WENT WHIMPERING AND

  • SCREAMING AND CRYING AND I THINK

  • SHOULD BE BROUGHT OUT.

  • LIKE THE KIDS WHO WANT TO LEAVE

  • VARIOUS COUNTRIES, INCLUDING THE

  • UNITED STATES, THEY SHOULD SEE

  • HOW HE DIED.

  • HE DIDN'T DIE A HERO.

  • HE DIED A COWARD, CRYING,

  • WHIMPERING, SCREAMING AND

  • BRINGING THREE KIDS WITH HIM.

  • THREE KIDS WITH HIM TO DIE A

  • CERTAIN DEATH.

  • HE KNEW THE TUNNEL HAD NO END.

  • THEY CALL IT A CLOSED-END

  • TUNNEL.

  • NOT A GOOD PLACE TO BE.

  • >> WAS THERE GOING ON BEFORE YOU

  • MADE THE ANNOUNCEMENT?

  • >> I'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR HIM

  • THREE YEARS.

  • HE STARTED GETTING SOME POSITIVE

  • FEEDBACK ABOUT A MONTH AGO.

  • AND WE HAD SOME INCREDIBLE

  • INTELLIGENCE OFFICIALS THAT DID

  • A GREAT JOB.

  • THAT'S WHAT THEY SHOULD BE

  • FOCUSED ON.

  • >> ABOUT WHAT TIME DID THIS

  • OPERATION START YESTERDAY, SIR?

  • AND DID YOU NOTIFY --

  • >> THIS OPERATION STARTED TWO

  • WEEKS AGO IN TERMS OF THE REAL

  • OPERATION BECAUSE WE HAD HIM

  • SCOPED.

  • WE THOUGHT HE WOULD BE IN A

  • CERTAIN LOCATION.

  • HE WAS.

  • THINGS STARTED CHECKING OUT VERY

  • WELL.

  • WE WERE INVOLVED ON OUR OWN TEAM

  • WITH SOME BRILLIANT PEOPLE WHO

  • I'VE GOTTEN TO KNOW.

  • BRILLIANT PEOPLE THAT LOVE OUR

  • COUNTRY.

  • HIGHLY INTELLIGENT PEOPLE.

  • AND WE HAVE HAD HAD PRETTY WELL

  • SCOPED OUT FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS

  • BUT HE TENDS TO CHANGE

  • IMMEDIATELY.

  • HE HAD A LOT OF CASH.

  • HE TENDS TO CHANGE LIKE ON A

  • DIME WHERE HE'LL BE GOING TO A

  • CERTAIN LOCATION AND, ALL OF A

  • SUDDEN, HE'LL GO SOMEPLACE ELSE

  • AND YOU'LL HAVE TO CANCEL.

  • BUT THIS WAS ONE WHERE WE KNEW

  • HE WAS THERE.

  • AND YOU CAN NEVER BE 100% SURE

  • BECAUSE YOU'RE BASING IT ON

  • TECHNOLOGY MORE THAN ANYTHING

  • ELSE.

  • BUT WE THOUGHT HE WAS THERE.

  • AND THEN WE GOT A CONFIRMATION

  • AND WHEN WE WENT IN, THEY WERE

  • GREETED WITH A LOT OF FIRE

  • POWER, A LOT OF FIRE POWER.

  • I TELL YOU, THESE GUYS, THEY DO

  • A JOB, THEY ARE SO BRAVE AND SO

  • GOOD AND SO, IMPORTANTLY, MANY

  • OF HIS PEOPLE WERE KILLED AND WE

  • WILL ANNOUNCE THE EXACT NUMBER

  • OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS.

  • BUT MANY WERE KILLED.

  • WE LOST NOBODY.

  • THINK OF THAT.

  • IT'S INCREDIBLE.

  • >> WHEN YOU TOLD THE RUSSIANS --

  • >> OUR DOG WAS HURT.

  • ACTUALLY THE CANINE WAS HURT

  • THAT WENT INTO THE TUNNEL.

  • BUT WE LOST NOBODY.

  • >> YOU REQUESTED TO THE RUSSIANS

  • TO FLY OVER THIS AREA THAT THEY

  • CONTROLLED --

  • >> WE SPOKE TO THE RUSSIANS.

  • >> WHAT DID YOU TELL THEM?

  • >> WE TOLD THEM WE ARE COMING

  • IN.

  • AND THEY SAID, THANK YOU FOR

  • TELLING US.

  • THEY WERE VERY GOOD.

  • >> DID YOU TELL THEM WHY?

  • >> THEY DID NOT KNOW WHY.

  • WE DID TELL THEM, WE THINK

  • YOU'LL BE VERY HAPPY BECAUSE,

  • AGAIN, THEY HATE ISIS AS MUCH AS

  • WE DO.

  • YOU KNOW WHAT ISIS HAS DONE TO

  • RUSSIA.

  • SO, NO, WE DID NOT TELL.

  • THEY DID NOT NOPE THE MISSION

  • BUT THEY KNEW WE WERE GOING OVER

  • AN AREA THAT THEY HAD A LOT OF

  • FIRE POWER.

  • >> HAVE YOU NOTIFIED THE

  • CONGRESSIONAL -- ABOUT THIS

  • PELOSI --

  • >> WE HAVE NOTIFIED SOME.

  • OTHERS ARE BEING NOTIFIED NOW AS

  • I SPEAK.

  • WE WERE GOING TO NOTIFY THEM

  • LAST NIGHT BUT WE DECIDED NOT TO

  • DO THAT BECAUSE WASHINGTON LEAKS

  • LIKE I'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE.

  • THERE IS NOTHING -- THERE IS NO

  • COUNTRY IN THE WORLD THAT LEAKS

  • LIKE WE DO.

  • AND WASHINGTON IS A LEAKING

  • MACHINE.

  • AND I TOLD MY PEOPLE, WE WILL

  • NOT NOTIFY THEM UNTIL -- OUR

  • GREAT PEOPLE ARE OUT, NOT JUST

  • IN BUT OUT.

  • I DON'T WANT TO HAVE THEM

  • GREETED WITH FIRE POWER LIKE YOU

  • WOULDN'T BELIEVE.

  • SO WE WERE ABLE TO GET IN.

  • IT WAS TOP SECRET.

  • IT WAS KEPT.

  • THERE WERE NO LEAKS, NO NOTHING.

  • THE ONLY PEOPLE THAT KNEW ARE

  • THE FEW PEOPLE I DEALT WITH AND

  • MARK MILLIE AND THE JOINT CHIEFS

  • OF STAFF WERE INCREDIBLE.

  • WE HAD SOME TREMENDOUS BACKUP.

  • ROBERT O'BRIEN, SECRETARY ESPER

  • AND SECRETARY POMPEO.

  • PENCE, I TOLD YOU.

  • HE WAS GREAT.

  • THIS IS A VERY SMALL GROUP OF

  • PEOPLE THAT KNEW ABOUT THIS.

  • WE HAD VERY, VERY FEW PEOPLE.

  • A LEAK -- A LEAK COULD HAVE COST

  • THE DEATHS OF ALL OF THEM.

  • NOW, THEY ARE SO GOOD THAT I

  • THINK NOTHING WAS GOING TO STOP

  • THEM ANY WAY IF YOU WANT TO KNOW

  • THE TRUTH, THAT'S HOW GOOD THEY

  • WERE.

  • WE ALSO THEM SURROUNDED BY

  • MASSIVE AIR POWER.

  • UP IN THE AIR YESTERDAY

  • SURROUNDED AT VERY HIGH LEVELS.

  • WE WERE VERY LOW.

  • WE HAD TREMENDOUS AIR POWER.

  • >> YOU WATCHED THIS FROM THE SIT

  • ROOM SOME WHO WERE YOU WITH IN

  • THE SIT ROOM?

  • >> SECRETARY ESPER AND A FEW OF

  • THE JOINT CHIEFS, MARK MILLIE,

  • SOME GENERALS.

  • WE HAD SOME VERY GREAT MILITARY

  • PEOPLE IN THAT ROOM AND WE HAD

  • SOME GREAT INTELLIGENCE PEOPLE,

  • ROBERT O'BRIEN.

  • HE IS REALLY GREAT.

  • YES?

  • >> WAS THE PULL OUT OF U.S.

  • TROOPS IN SYRIA LAST WEEK TIED

  • WITH THIS RAID?

  • >> NO.

  • RIGHT.

  • GREAT QUESTION.

  • AND YOU'RE DOING A GREAT JOB, BY

  • THE WAY.

  • YOUR NETWORK IS FANTASTIC.

  • THEY REALLY ARE DOING A GREAT

  • JOB.

  • PLEASE LET THEM KNOW.

  • NO.

  • THE PULL-OUT HAD NOTHING TO DO

  • WITH THIS.

  • IN FACT, WE FOUND THIS OUT AT A

  • SIMILAR TIME.

  • IT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION

  • BECAUSE WE FOUND THIS OUT AT A

  • SIMILAR TIME.

  • NO, WE ARE AFTER THESE LEADERS

  • AND WE HAVE OTHERS IN SIGHT,

  • VERY BAD ONES, BUT THIS WAS THE

  • BIG ONE.

  • THIS IS THE BIGGEST ONE, PERHAPS

  • THAT WE HAVE EVER CAPTURED

  • BECAUSE THIS IS THE ONE THAT

  • BUILT ISIS AND BEYOND.

  • AND WAS LOOKING TO REBUILD IT

  • AGAIN, VERY, VERY STRONGLY

  • LOOKING TO BUILD IT AGAIN AND

  • THIS IS WHY HE WENT TO THIS

  • PROVINCE, THIS IS WHY HE WENT TO

  • THIS AREA.

  • A LOT OF PEOPLE I WAS WATCHING

  • THIS MORNING AND HEARING AND

  • THEY SAY WHY WAS HE THERE?

  • PEOPLE WERE VOLUNTEER SURPRISED.

  • THAT IS WHERE HE WAS TRYING TO

  • REBUILD FROM BECAUSE THAT WAS

  • THE PLACE THAT MADE MOST SENSE

  • IF YOU'RE LOOKING TO REBUILD.

  • YEAH?

  • >> [ INAUDIBLE ] WHEN DID YOU

  • DECIDE TO SEND THE TWEET?

  • >> I SENT THAT AFTER I KNEW THEY

  • HAD LANDED SAFELY.

  • >> WHEN THEY HAD RETURNED?

  • >> RIGHT.

  • THAT WAS TO NOTIFY YOU GUYS YOU

  • HAVE SOMETHING BIG THIS MORNING

  • SO YOU WOULDN'T BE OUT PLAYING

  • GOLF OR TENNIS OR OTHERWISE

  • BEING INDISPOSED.

  • >> WHERE WERE THEY SAFE?

  • WHERE DID THEY LAND?

  • >> I'D RATHER NOT SAY BUT WE

  • LANDED IN A VERY FRIENDLY PORT

  • IN A FRIENDLY COUNTRY.

  • >> GIVE YOU ANY PAUSE ABOUT YOUR

  • DECISION TO WITHDRAWAL TROOPS?

  • >> NO, I THINK IT'S GREAT.

  • LOOK.

  • WE DON'T WANT TO KEEP SOLDIERS

  • BETWEEN SYRIA AND TURKEY FOR THE

  • NEXT 200 YEARS.

  • THEY HAVE BEEN FIGHTING FOR

  • HUNDREDS OF YEARS.

  • WE ARE OUT.

  • BUT WE ARE LEAVING SOLDIERS TO

  • SECURE THE OIL.

  • WE MAY HAVE TO FIGHT FOR THE

  • OIL.

  • THAT'S OKAY.

  • MAYBE SOMEBODY ELSE WANTS THE

  • OIL, IN WHICH CASE, THEY HAVE A

  • HELL OF A FIGHT, BUT THERE IS

  • MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF OIL AND WE

  • ARE SECURING IT FOR A COUPLE OF

  • REASONS.

  • NUMBER ONE, IT STOPS ISIS

  • BECAUSE ISIS GOT TREMENDOUS

  • WEALTH FROM THAT OIL.

  • WE HAVE TAKEN IT, SECURED IT.

  • NUMBER TWO -- AGAIN, SOMEBODY

  • ELSE MAY CLAIM IT BUT WE WILL

  • EITHER NEGOTIATE A DEAL WHOEVER

  • IS CLAIMING IT, IF WE THINK IT'S

  • FAIR OR MILITARILY STOP THEM

  • VERY QUICKLY.

  • WE HAVE TREMENDOUS POWER IN THAT

  • PART OF THE WORLD.

  • WE HAVE -- YOU KNOW, THE AIRPORT

  • IS RIGHT NEARBY.

  • A VERY BIG, MONSTROUS, VERY

  • POWERFUL AIRPORT AND VERY

  • EXPENSIVE AIRPORT THAT WAS BUILT

  • YEARS AGO.

  • WE ARE IN THERE FOR -- WE ARE IN

  • THAT MIDDLE EAST NOW FOR EIGHT

  • TRILLION DOLLARS.

  • SO WE DON'T WANT TO BE KEEPING

  • SYRIA AND TURKEY -- THEY ARE

  • GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE THEIR OWN

  • DECISION.

  • THE KURDS HAVE WORKED ALONG

  • INCREDIBLY WELL.

  • BUT IN ALL FAIRNESS, IT WAS MUCH

  • EASIER DEALING WITH THE KURDS

  • AFTER THEY WENT THROUGH THREE

  • DAYS OF FIGHTING BECAUSE THAT

  • WAS A BRUTAL THREE DAYS.

  • WE WOULD HAVE SAID TO THE KURDS,

  • HEY, DO YOU MIND MOVING OVER

  • SEVEN MILES?

  • THEY WERE IN THE MIDDLE MOSTLY.

  • YOU SO SEVEN OR EIGHT MILES.

  • COULD YOU MIND MOVING OVER?

  • BECAUSE I HAVE TO SAY, TURKEY

  • HAS TAKEN TREMENDOUS DEATHS FROM

  • THAT PART OF THE WORLD.

  • YOU KNOW, WE CALL IT A SAFE ZONE

  • BUT IT WAS ANYTHING BUT A SAFE

  • ZONE.

  • TURKEY HAS LOST THOUSANDS AND

  • THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE FROM THAT

  • SAFE ZONE SO THEY HAVE ALWAYS

  • WANTED THAT SAFE ZONE FOR MANY

  • YEARS AND I'M GLAD I WAS ABLE TO

  • HELP THEM GET IT BUT WE DON'T

  • WANT IT.

  • I WANT OUR SOLDIERS HOME OR

  • FIGHTING SOMETHING THAT IS

  • MEANINGFUL.

  • I TELL YOU WHO LOVES US BEING

  • THERE -- RUSSIA AND CHINA.

  • BECAUSE WHILE THEY BUILD THEIR

  • MILITARY, WE ARE DEPLETING OUR

  • MILITARY THERE, SO RUSSIA LOVES

  • US BEING THERE.

  • RUSSIA LIKES US BEING THERE FOR

  • TWO REASONS.

  • BECAUSE WE KILL ISIS, WE KILL

  • TERRORISTS, AND THEY ARE VERY

  • CLOSE TO RUSSIA.

  • WE ARE 8,000 MILES AWAY.

  • MAYBE THEY CAN GET HERE, BUT WE

  • HAVE DONE VERY WELL WITH

  • HOMELAND SECURITY AND THE BAND

  • WHICH, BY THE WAY, IS APPROVED

  • BY THE UNITED STATES SUPREME

  • COURT, AS YOU KNOW?

  • YOU KNOW?

  • A REPORTER THAT SAID WE LOST A

  • CASE AND HE WAS RIGHT IN THE

  • EARLY COURT.

  • HE DIDN'T WANT TO SAY JUST

  • REFUSED TO SAY THAT WE WON THE

  • CASE IN THE SUPREME COURT SO,

  • YOU KNOW?

  • BUT WE HAVE A VERY EFFECTIVE BAN

  • AND IT'S VERY HARD FOR PEOPLE TO

  • COME TO OUR COUNTRY BUT IT'S

  • MANY THOUSANDS OF MILES AWAY,

  • WHEREAS, RUSSIA IS RIGHT THERE,

  • TURKEY IS RIGHT THERE.

  • SYRIA IS THERE.

  • THEY ARE ALL RIGHT THERE.

  • EXCUSE ME.

  • IRAN IS RIGHT THERE.

  • IRAQ IS RIGHT THERE.

  • THEY ALL HATE ISIS.

  • SO WE DON'T, YOU KNOW -- IN

  • THEORY, THEY SHOULD DO

  • SOMETHING.

  • I GIVE YOU SOMETHING ELSE.

  • THE EUROPEANS NATIONS HAVE BEEN

  • A TREMENDOUS DISAPPOINTMENT

  • BECAUSE I PERSONALLY CALLED --

  • BUT MY PEOPLE CALLED A LOT --

  • TAKE YOUR ISIS FIGHTERS AND THEY

  • DIDN'T WANT THEM.

  • THEY SAID, WE DON'T WANT THEM.

  • THEY CAME FROM FRANCE, THEY CAME

  • FROM GERMANY, THEY CAME FROM THE

  • UK, THEY CAME FROM A LOT OF

  • COUNTRIES.

  • AND I ACTUALLY SAID TO THEM, YOU

  • KNOW, TAKE THEM, I'M GOING TO

  • DROP THEM RIGHT ON YOUR BORDER

  • AND YOU CAN HAVE FUN CAPTURING

  • THEM.

  • BUT THE UNITED STATES TAXPAYER

  • IS NOT GOING TO PAY FOR THE NEXT

  • 50 YEARS.

  • YOU SEE WHAT GUANTANAMO COST.

  • WE WANT PEOPLE TO GO BACK TO

  • FRANCE AND UK AND OTHER PARTS OF

  • EUROPE AND THEY CAN WALK BACK

  • BUT NOT TO OUR COUNTRY.

  • WE HAVE LOTS OF WATER IN BETWEEN

  • OUR COUNTRY AND THEM.

  • SO, YEAH, GO.

  • >> YOU MENTIONED YOU HAD MET

  • SOME -- GOTTEN TO KNOW SOME

  • BRILLIANT PEOPLE ALONG THIS

  • PROCESS WHO HELPED PROVIDE

  • INFORMATION AND ADVICE ALONG THE

  • WAY.

  • IS THERE ANYONE IN PARTICULAR OR

  • WOULD YOU LIKE TO GIVE ANYONE

  • CREDIT FOR GETTING TO THIS POINT

  • TODAY?

  • >> WELL, I WOULD BUT IF I

  • MENTIONED ONE, I HAVE TO MENTION

  • SO MANY.

  • I SPOKE TO SENATOR RICHARD BURR

  • THIS MORNING.

  • YOU KNOW HE IS VERY SOLVED WITH

  • INTELLIGENCE AND THE COMMITTEE.

  • AND HE IS A GREAT GENTLEMEN.

  • I SPOKE WITH LINDSEY GRAHAM JUST

  • A LITTLE WHILE AGO AND HE IS

  • RIGHT OVER HERE AND HE HAS BEEN

  • VERY MUCH INVOLVED IN THIS

  • SUBJECT AND HE A VERY STRONG

  • HAWK, BUT I THINK LINDSEY AGREES

  • WITH WHAT WE ARE DOING NOW.

  • AGAIN, THERE ARE PLENTY OF OTHER

  • COUNTRIES THAT CAN HELP THEM

  • PATROL.

  • I DON'T WANT TO LEAVE A THOUSAND

  • OR 2,000 OR 3,000 SOLDIERS ON

  • THE BORDER, BUT LINDSEY AND I

  • TOTALS AGREE IS THE OIL.

  • THE OIL IS SO VALUABLE FOR MANY

  • REASONS.

  • IT FUELED ISIS, NUMBER ONE.

  • NUMBER TWO, IT HELPS THE KURDS,

  • BECAUSE IT'S BASICALLY BEEN

  • TAKEN AWAY FROM THE KURDS.

  • THEY WERE ABLE TO LIVE WITH THAT

  • OIL.

  • NUMBER THREE, IT CAN HELP US

  • BECAUSE WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO

  • TAKE SOME ALSO AND WHAT I INTEND

  • TO DO, PERHAPS, IS MAKE A DEAL

  • WITH AN EXXONMOBIL OR ONE OF OUR

  • GREAT COMPANIES TO GO IN THERE

  • AND DO IT PROPERLY.

  • RIGHT NOW, IT'S NOT BIG.

  • IT'S BIG OIL UNDERGROUND BUT

  • IT'S NOT BIG OIL UP TOP.

  • MUCH OF THE MACHINERY HAS BEEN

  • SHOT AND DEAD.

  • IT'S BEEN THROUGH WARS.

  • BUT -- AND SPREAD OUT THE

  • WEALTH.

  • BUT, NO, WE ARE PROTECTING THE

  • OIL.

  • WE ARE SECURING THE OIL.

  • NOW THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE DON'T

  • MAKE A DEAL AT SOME POINT.

  • THEY ARE FIGHTING FOR A THOUSAND

  • YEARS, THEY ARE FIGHTING FOR

  • CENTURIES.

  • I WANT TO BRING OUR SOLDIERS

  • BACK HOME.

  • BUT I DO WANT TO SECURITY THE

  • OIL.

  • IF YOU READ ABOUT THE HISTORY OF

  • DONALD TRUMP, I WAS A CIVILIAN.

  • I HAD ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO

  • WITH GOING INTO IRAQ AND I WAS

  • TOTALLY AGAINST IT.

  • BUT I ALWAYS USED TO SAY, IF

  • THEY ARE GOING TO GO IN, NOBODY

  • CARED THAT MUCH, BUT IT GOT

  • WRITTEN ABOUT, IF THEY ARE GOING

  • TO GO IN, I'M SURE YOU'VE HEARD

  • THE STATEMENT.

  • I MADE IT TO EVERY HUMAN BEING

  • ALIVE.

  • IF THEY ARE GOING INTO IRAQ,

  • KEEP THE OIL.

  • THEY NEVER DID.

  • THEY NEVER DID.

  • I KNOW LINDSEY GRAHAM HAD A BILL

  • WE WOULD HAVE BEEN PAID BACK FOR

  • THE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS WE

  • SPENT, MANY, MANY BILLIONS OF

  • DOLLARS.

  • I HATE TO SAY IT, IT'S ACTUALLY

  • TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS BUT MANY,

  • MANY BILLIONS OF DOLLARS.

  • BY ONE VOTE THEY WERE UNABLE TO

  • GET THAT APPROVED IN THE SENATE

  • AND HAD BIG OPPOSITION.

  • IF YOU DID THAT, IRAQ WOULD BE A

  • DIFFERENT STORY TODAY BECAUSE

  • THEY WOULD BE ON THE GROUND US A

  • LOT OF MONEY AND TREATING US

  • DIFFERENTLY BUT I HAVE TO SAY

  • IRAQ WAS VERY GOOD WITH RESPECT

  • TO LAST NIGHT.

  • >> I KNEW ABOUT THIS FOR THREE

  • DAYS.

  • WE THOUGHT THREE DAYS THIS IS

  • WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN.

  • IT WAS ACTUALLY -- LOOK.

  • NOBODY WAS EVEN HURT.

  • OUR CANINE, AS -- I CALL IT A

  • DOG.

  • A BEAUTIFUL DOG.

  • A TALENTED DOG.

  • IT WAS INJURED AND BROUGHT BACK.

  • BUT WE HAD NO SOLDIER INJURED

  • AND THEY DID A LOT OF SHOOTING

  • AND BLASTING.

  • EVEN NOT GOING THROUGH THE FRONT

  • DOOR.

  • YOU THINK YOU GO THROUGH THE

  • DOOR.

  • IF YOU'RE A NORMAL PERSON YOU

  • SAY, KNOCK, KNOCK, MAY YOU COME

  • IN?

  • THE FACT IS THAT THEY BLASTED

  • THEIR WAY INTO THE HOUSE IN A

  • VERY HEAVY WALL AND IT TOOK THEM

  • LITERALLY SECONDS.

  • BY THE TIME THOSE THINGS WENT

  • OFF, THEY HAD A BEAUTIFUL BIG

  • HOLE AND THEY RAN IN AND GOT

  • EVERYBODY BY SURPRISE.

  • UNBELIEVABLY BRILLIANT AS

  • FIGHTERS.

  • I CAN'T IMAGINE THERE COULD BE

  • ANYBODY BETTER AND THESE, AS YOU

  • KNOW, ARE A TOP OPERATIONS

  • PEOPLE.

  • >> BAGHDADI, APPARENTLY, HAD

  • BEEN IN -- FOR SOME TIME.

  • WAS THERE ANY INDICATION OF

  • THAT?

  • >> WELL, WE DON'T KNOW THAT.

  • BUT HE WAS THE LAST ONE OUT AND

  • HIS PEOPLE HAD EITHER BEEN

  • KILLED, WHICH THERE WERE MANY,

  • OR GAVE UP AND CAME OUT BECAUSE

  • WITH THE 11 CHILDREN THAT CAME

  • OUT, WE WERE ABLE TO DO THAT.

  • WE DON'T KNOW IF THEY I RECALL

  • HIS CHILDREN.

  • THEY MIGHT HAVE BEEN.

  • BUT THREE DIED IN THE TUNNEL.

  • THE TUNNEL COLLAPSED WITH THE

  • EXPLOSION.

  • BUT YOU HAD OTHER FIGHTERS

  • COMING OUT ALSO AND THEY ARE

  • BEING BROUGHT BACK -- THEY ARE,

  • RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE THEM

  • IMPRISONED.

  • >> DO YOU REMEMBER WHAT TIME YOU

  • WENT IN THE SITUATION ROOM?

  • >> WELL, I STARTED AT 5:00.

  • WE WERE PRETTY MUCH GATHERED AT

  • 5:00 YESTERDAY.

  • WE WERE IN CONTACT ALL DAY LONG

  • THROUGH -- HOPEFULLY, SECURELY

  • PHONES.

  • I'LL LET YOU KNOW TOMORROW BUT

  • NOTHING SEEMED TO LEAK SO I

  • GUESS THEY WERE SECURE FOR A

  • CHANGE.

  • BUT WE GATHERED MORE OR LESS AT

  • 5:00.

  • THE ATTACK STARTED MOMENTS AFTER

  • THAT.

  • THE LIFTOFF STARTED MOMENTS

  • AFTER THAT.

  • AGAIN, THE ELEMENT OF ATTACK

  • THAT THEY WERE MOST AFRAID OF

  • WAS GETTING FROM OUR BASE INTO

  • THAT COMPOUND, BECAUSE THIS

  • TREMENDOUS FIRE POWER THAT WE

  • WERE FLYING OVER, AND I WON'T GO

  • INTO IT, BUT YOU HAD A VERY BIG

  • RUSSIAN PRESENCE IN ONE AREA.

  • YOU HAD A TURKISH PRESENCE.

  • YOU HAD A SYRIAN PRESENCE.

  • AND YOU'RE FLYING LOW.

  • IT'S VERY DANGEROUS.

  • AND THERE WERE SHOTS MADE BUT WE

  • THINK THESE WERE PEOPLE THAT

  • WERE SHOOTING THAT WERE

  • INDISCRIMINATELY SHOOTING.

  • HELICOPTERS TOOK SOME SHOTS BUT

  • WE THINK THAT THESE WERE PEOPLE

  • THAT WERE JUST RANDOM PEOPLE

  • THAT DON'T LIKE TO SEE

  • HELICOPTERS, I GUESS.

  • >> WAS THERE ANY KIND OF DNA

  • TEST DONE?

  • >> SO THAT IS ANOTHER PART OF

  • THE GENIUS OF THESE PEOPLE.

  • THEY BROUGHT HIS -- THEY HAVE

  • HIS DNA.

  • MORE OF IT THAN THEY WANT EVEN.

  • AND THEY BROUGHT IT WITH THEM

  • WITH LAB TECHNICIANS WHO WERE

  • WITH THEM AND THEY ASSUMED THAT

  • THIS WAS BAGHDADI.

  • THEY THOUGHT VISUALLY IT WAS HIM

  • BUT THEY ASSUMED IT WAS HIM, AND

  • THEY DID A SITE, AN ON-SITE TEST

  • AND THEY GOT SAMPLES.

  • TO GET TO HIS BODY, THEY HAD TO

  • REMOVE A LOT OF DEBRIS BECAUSE

  • THE TUNNEL HAD COLLAPSED BUT

  • THESE PEOPLE ARE VERY GOOD AT

  • THAT.

  • AND AS I SAID, THEY BROUGHT BODY

  • PARTS BACK WITH THEM, ET CETERA,

  • ET CETERA.

  • THERE WASN'T MUCH LEFT.

  • THE VEST BLEW UP, BUT THERE ARE

  • STILL SUBSTANTIAL PIECES THAT

  • THEY BROUGHT BACK.

  • SO THEY DID IT ON-SITE TEST

  • BECAUSE WE HAD TO KNOW THIS.

  • AND IT WAS A VERY QUICK CALL

  • THAT TOOK PLACE ABOUT 15 MINUTES

  • AFTER HE WAS KILLED AND IT WAS

  • POSITIVE, THIS IS A

  • CONFIRMATION, SIR.

  • >> IT'S ALSO RECORDED THAT HIS

  • WIFE -- OR ONE OF HIS WIVES

  • DETONATED A VEST.

  • >> THERE WERE TWO WOMEN, BOTH

  • WIVES, BOTH WEARING VESTS.

  • THEY HAD NOT DETONATED, BUT THE

  • FACT THAT THEY WERE DEAD AND

  • THEY HAD VESTS ON MADE IT VERY

  • DIFFICULT FOR OUR MEN BECAUSE

  • THEY HAD VESTS ON.

  • AND IT MADE IT VERY DIFFICULT

  • FOR OUR MEN BECAUSE YOU NEVER

  • KNOW WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN.

  • THEY NEVER DETONATED BUT THEY

  • WERE DEAD.

  • >> ON THE POSSIBLE SUCCESS, HAVE

  • YOU BEEN BRIEFED ON WHO --

  • >> YEAH, WE KNOW THE SUCCESSORS.

  • AND WE HAVE ALREADY GOT THEM IN

  • OUR SIGHTS AND WE WILL TELL YOU

  • THAT RIGHT NOW.

  • BUT WE KNOW THE SUCCESSORS.

  • HAMZA BIN LADEN WAS A BIG THING

  • BUT THIS IS THE BIGGEST THERE

  • IS.

  • THIS IS THE WORST EVER.

  • OSAMA BIN LADEN WAS VERY BIG BUT

  • HE BECAME BIG WITH THE WORLD

  • TRADE CENTER.

  • THIS IS A MAN WHO BUILT A HOLE

  • AS HE WOULD LIKE TO CALL IT, A

  • COUNTRY, A CALIPHATE.

  • AND WAS TRYING TO DO IT AGAIN.

  • I HAD NOT HEARD TOO MUCH ABOUT

  • HIS HEALTH BUT HEARD STORIES HE

  • MAY NOT HAVE BEEN IN GOOD HEALTH

  • BUT HE DIED IN A RUTHLESS AND

  • VICIOUS MANNER

  • [ INAUDIBLE QUESTION ]

  • >> WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT WERE

  • TAKEN AND MANY OF THE PEOPLE

  • DIED ON THE SITE BUT WE HAVE

  • PEOPLE THAT WERE TAKEN AND THE

  • CHILDREN WE LEFT THEM UNDER CARE

  • OF SOMEBODY THAT WE UNDERSTAND.

  • >> DO YOU BELIEVE --

  • >> 11 CHILDREN.

  • >> HOW MANY ADULTS?

  • >> I'D RATHER NOT SAY AND LEAVE

  • THAT TO THE GENERALS BUT A SMALL

  • GROUP.

  • MORE DEAD THAN ALIVE.

  • >> WHICH SPECIAL OPERATIONS TEAM

  • WERE INVOLVED?

  • >> MANY OF THEM.

  • AND AT THE TOP LEVEL AND PEOPLE

  • THAT WERE TRULY INCREDIBLE AT

  • THEIR CRAFT.

  • I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE

  • IT.

  • >> AS FAR AS PARTNERSHIPS GO,

  • WERE THERE ANY OTHER FORCES

  • INVOLVED OR WAS THERE ONLY

  • AMERICAN TROOPS?

  • >> ONLY AMERICAN FORCES.

  • ONLY AMERICAN FORCES BUT WE WERE

  • GIVEN GREAT COOPERATION.

  • >> DID THE U.S. --

  • >> WE TOLD THE RUSSIANS WE ARE

  • COMING IN BECAUSE WE HAD TO GO

  • OVER THEM.

  • AND THEY WERE CURIOUS BUT WE

  • SAID WE ARE COMING.

  • WE SAID, LOOK, WE ARE COMING BUT

  • THEY WERE VERY COOPERATIVE.

  • THEY WERE REALLY GOOD.

  • WE DID SAY IT WOULD BE A MISSION

  • THAT THEY WOULD LIKE, TOO.

  • AGAIN, THEY HATE ISIS AS MUCH AS

  • WE DO.

  • >> I MEANT FOR INTEL PURPOSES.

  • ANY FOREIGN INTEL IN THIS

  • OPERATION?

  • >> WE HAD OUR OWN INTEL.

  • WE GOT VERY LITTLE HELP.

  • WE DIDN'T NEED VERY MUCH HELP.

  • WE HAVE SOME INCREDIBLE PEOPLE.

  • WHEN WE USE OUR INTELLIGENCE

  • CORRECTLY, WHAT WE CAN DO IS

  • INCREDIBLE.

  • WHEN WE WASTE OUR TIME WITH

  • INTELLIGENCE, THAT HURTS OUR

  • COUNTRY BECAUSE WE HAD POOR

  • LEADERSHIP AT THE TIME.

  • THAT'S NOT GOOD.

  • BUT I'VE GOTTEN TO KNOW MANY OF

  • THE INTEL PEOPLE AND I WILL SAY

  • THAT THEY ARE SPECTACULAR.

  • NOW THEY ARE NOT GOING TO WANT

  • TO TALK ABOUT IT AND WANT TO

  • KEEP IT QUIET.

  • THE LAST THING THEY WANT,

  • BECAUSE THESE ARE GREAT

  • PATRIOTS.

  • BUT THE PEOPLE THAT I'VE BEEN

  • DEALING WITH ARE INCREDIBLE

  • PEOPLE AND IT'S REALLY A

  • DESERVING NAME, INTELLIGENCE.

  • I'VE DEALT WITH SOME PEOPLE THAT

  • AREN'T VERY INTELLIGENT, HAVING

  • TO DO WITH INTEL.

  • BUT THIS IS THE TOP PEOPLE AND

  • IT WAS INCREDIBLE.

  • IT WAS FLAWLESS AND IT WAS VERY

  • COMPLICATED.

  • BUT SO I DO APPRECIATE RUSSIA,

  • TURKEY, IRAQ, AND SYRIA, TO AN

  • TENTH, BECAUSE WE ARE FLYING

  • INTO SYRIA.

  • A LOT OF SYRIAN PEOPLE WITH LOTS

  • OF GUNS.

  • SO WE HAD GOOD COVER FOR

  • PROBABLY THE MOST DANGEROUS

  • PART.

  • IT WOULD NOT -- WHEN YOU FLY

  • 234, IT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE THAT

  • WOULD BE THE MOST DANGEROUS WHEN

  • YOU'RE GOING INTO SHOOTING NESTS

  • AND ALL OF THE THINGS THAT

  • HAPPENED ONCE THEY BROKE INTO

  • THAT PRETTY POWERFUL COMPOUND.

  • THIS WAS A VERY STRONG COMPOUND.

  • AND AS I SAID, HAD TUNNELS.

  • BUT THE MOST DANGEROUS PART, WE

  • HAD GREAT COOPERATION -- YES,

  • MA'AM?

  • >> SPEAKER PELOSI AHEAD OF TIME,

  • DID YOU SPEAK WITH HER?

  • >> NO, I DIDN'T DO THAT.

  • I WANT THIS KEPT SECRET.

  • I DON'T WANT MEN LOST AND WOMEN.

  • I DON'T WANT TO HAVE PEOPLE

  • LOST.

  • >> DO YOU ANTICIPATE INVITING

  • THE SPECIAL FORCES TEAM TO THE

  • WHITE HOUSE AFTER?

  • >> OH, YEAH, THEY WILL BE

  • INVITED.

  • I DON'T KNOW IF THEY WILL WANT

  • TO HAVE THEIR FACES SHOWN, TO BE

  • HONEST WITH YOU.

  • YOU KNOW?

  • THEY ARE INCREDIBLE FOR THE

  • COUNTRY.

  • THEY ARE NOT LOOKING FOR PUBLIC

  • RELATIONS.

  • BUT THEY LOVE DOING WHAT THEY

  • ARE DOING.

  • I'VE SEEN IT.

  • FIRST LADY WAS OUT THERE

  • RECENTLY LOOKING AT WHAT THEY

  • DO.

  • SHE CAME BACK AND SHE SAID, WOW.

  • I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE

  • THAT.

  • THE TRAINING, YOU KNOW?

  • ALL OF THE TRAINING AND THE

  • POWER OF THE PEOPLE.

  • THE MEN AND WOMEN, THE STRENGTH,

  • THE PHYSICAL STRENGTH, THE

  • MENTAL STRENGTH.

  • THESE ARE INCREDIBLE PEOPLE.

  • THESE ARE VERY UNIQUE

  • INDIVIDUALS.

  • >> YOU MENTIONED WHIMPERING.

  • DID YOU MENTION THAT ON YOUR

  • VIDEO?

  • >> I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT

  • BUT HE WAS SCREAMING, CRYING,

  • AND WHIMPERING AND HE WAS SCARED

  • OUT OF HIS MIND.

  • AND THINK OF JAMES FOLEY, THINK

  • OF KAYLA, THINK OF THE THINGS HE

  • DID TO KAYLA!

  • WHAT HE DID TO FOLEY AND SO MANY

  • OTHERS.

  • AND FOR THOSE PEOPLE THAT SAY,

  • OH, ISN'T THIS A LITTLE VIOLENT?

  • THINK OF HOW MANY TIMES HAVE YOU

  • SEEN MEN -- I THINK IN ALL CASES

  • MEN FOR THE MOST PART, DID YOU

  • IN TERMS OF THIS -- WHERE YOU

  • SEE THE ORANGE SUITS AND YOU SEE

  • THE OCEAN AND THEY ARE BEHEADED.

  • OR HOW MANY OF YOU GOT TO SEE --

  • BECAUSE IT WAS OUT THERE -- THE

  • JORDANIAN PILOT WHOSE PLAIN WENT

  • DOWN AND THEY CAPTURED HIM AND

  • THEY SET HIM ON FIRE.

  • THE KING OF JORDAN ACTUALLY

  • ATTACKED VERY POWERFULLY WHEN

  • THAT HAPPENED.

  • I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE

  • THAT BUT HE SET HIM ON FIRE.

  • THIS WAS AL BAGHDADI AND YOU

  • SHOULD NEVER, EVER HOPEFULLY,

  • SEE A THING LIKE THAT AGAIN.

  • NOW, THERE WILL BE NEW PEOPLE

  • EMERGE BUT THIS WAS THE WORST OF

  • THIS PARTICULAR WORLD.

  • THIS WAS THE WORST.

  • PROBABLY IN CERTAIN WAYS THE

  • SMARTEST.

  • HE WAS ALSO A COWARD.

  • HE DIDN'T WANT TO DIE.

  • THINK OF IT.

  • EVERYBODY WAS OUT AND WE WERE

  • ABLE TO SEARCH HIM DOWN AND FIND

  • HIM IN THE TUNNEL.

  • WE KNEW THE TUNNEL EXISTED AND

  • THAT IS WHERE HE WAS.

  • >> YOU'VE TAKEN A LOT OF HEAT

  • FOR THIS PULLOUT.

  • DO YOU THINK THIS WILL CHANGE --

  • >> I DON'T HAVE A SYRIA

  • PULL-OUT.

  • I DON'T WANT TO GUARD TURKEY AND

  • SYRIA THE REST OF OUR LIVES.

  • I DON'T WANT TO DO IT.

  • IT'S VERY EXPENSIVE AND

  • DANGEROUS AND THEY HAVE BEEN

  • FIGHTING FOR CENTURIES.

  • I DON'T WANT TO HAVE MY PEOPLE,

  • 2,000 MEN AND WOMEN OR A

  • THOUSAND OR 28.

  • WE HAD 28 -- I DON'T WANT THEM

  • THERE ANYWHERE.

  • I DON'T WANT THEM.

  • NOW I WILL SECURE THE OIL.

  • THAT HAPPENS TO BE IN CERTAIN

  • PART BUT THAT IS TREMENDOUS

  • MONEY INVOLVED.

  • >> YOU'VE BEEN LISTENING TO

  • PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

  • CONFIRMING THE NEWS HAD BEEN

  • LEAKING OUT ALL MORNING THAT

  • U.S. SPECIAL FORCES HAVE KILLED

  • THE FORMER -- OR FORMER HEAD OF

  • ISIS ABU BAKR AL BAGHDADI.

  • THISAT HAS BEEN AN NBC NEWS

  • SPECIAL REPORT.

  • FOR SOME OF YOU, "MEET THE

  • PRESS"

WE ARE AWAITING A STATEMENT ON

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