President Donald Trump confirmed his new policy on Wednesday toward Iranian military boats that harass U.S. naval ships: “Shoot them out of the water.”
The president made the remarks during the White House Coronavirus Task Force news conference when asked about his tweet from earlier in the day that stated: “I have instructed the United States Navy to shoot down and destroy any and all Iranian gunboats if they harass our ships at sea.”
Trump’s tweet and remarks come after 11 Iranian gunboats swarmed several U.S. naval ships last week and got within 10 yards of the ships.
“We don’t want their gunboats surrounding our boats and traveling around our boats and having a good time, we don’t want them anywhere near our boats,” Trump said. “Under the Obama administration, it was taking place all the time. Under my administration, I gave this order early on and nothing happened. They were very nice, there was no problem. But then I noticed yesterday they did that in a much lighter form, but they did that again.”
“I said, ‘We’re not going to stand for it,'” Trump continued. “So if they do that, that’s putting our ships at danger and our great crews and sailors in danger, I’m not going to let that happen. And we will… They’ll shoot them out of the water.”
“The U.S. military does not have to change its rules of engagement in order to follow your order?” a reporter asked the president.
“No, that’s the rules of engagement,” Trump responded. “That’s a threat. When they get that close to our boat, and they have guns, they have very substantial weapons on those boats, but we’ll shoot them out of the water.”
WATCH:
U.S. President Donald Trump on #Iran:
-We don't want them anywhere near our ships & sailors.
-I don't think I have to repeat myself.
-It was happening all the time during the Obama administration.
-We're not going to stand for it.
-Our Navy will shoot them out of the water. pic.twitter.com/rKn6o3AXCD— Heshmat Alavi (@HeshmatAlavi) April 23, 2020
TRANSCRIPT:
REPORTER: Mr. President, thank you. Can we talk about Iran? You put out a message this morning making a rather big announcement for our military when it comes to Iranian aggression. Are you going to change formally rules of engagement for our U.S. military so that they can engage?
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: We’re covered 100%. We don’t want their gunboats surrounding our boats and traveling around our boats and having a good time, we don’t want them anywhere near our boats, and… So you know the order I gave, I don’t think you have to say it again, but I’ve given that order. Under the Obama administration, it was taking place all the time. Under my administration, I gave this order early on and nothing happened. They were very nice, there was no problem. But then I noticed yesterday they did that in a much lighter form, but they did that again. I said, “We’re not going to stand for it.” So if they do that, that’s putting our ships at danger and our great crews and sailors in danger, I’m not going to let that happen. And we will… They’ll shoot them out of the water.
REPORTER: The U.S. military does not have to change its rules of engagement in order to follow your order?
TRUMP: No, that’s the rules of engagement. That’s a threat. When they get that close to our boat, and they have guns, they have very substantial weapons on those boats, but we’ll shoot them out of the water.