How to Watch Donald Trump Addressing US Airstrikes on Iran
President Donald Trump is addressing the nation on Wednesday morning following the Iranian attack [...]
President Donald Trump is addressing the nation on Wednesday morning following the Iranian attack on a U.S. military base on Tuesday. The national address can be viewed on most major news networks, or through online channels on various platforms. Here are the ways you can catch the historic speech.
President Trump was scheduled to speak at 11 a.m. ET on Wednesday from the White House, though he got a bit of a late start. The address is airing live on CBS News, NBC News, ABC News, Fox News, CNN, MSNBC and other national news networks.
Online, the address is streaming through similar channels. NBC News, ABC News and Fox News are all streaming the address for free on YouTube, as is The Washington Post and other outlets.
The address is streaming on Twitter as well, through international news outlets around the world. Streams are also available on Facebook in many cases. In many cases, these social media streams are a better match for mobile devices, so viewers have some options to explore.
The mere fact that this address is available for free through so many different channels online speaks to its historic nature. Many believe the president will escalate the fighting in Iran further, perhaps even leading to war.
President Trump ordered an airstrike in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad last week to assassinate Iranian military leader Qassem Soleimani. Congressional leaders were not briefed on the attack, and many believed it was the wrong move. In fact, some pundits went so far as to say that President Trump was using this military action to distract from his impeachment hearings.
2. Overall, the statement places far greater emphasis on past activities and violations allegedly commuted by Suleimani. As such the killing appears far more retaliatory for past acts than anticipatory for imminent self defense.
— Agnes Callamard (@AgnesCallamard) January 3, 2020
Meanwhile, some international law experts believe that the airstrike may have been illegal, as it came unprovoked. The Trump administration claimed that it was defending against an "imminent attack," but United Nations official Agnes Callamard has cast doubt on this definition on Twitter, saying it is "very vague."
"We have carried out the attack on the territory of a state that plainly did not give us permission," added international law professor Mary Ellen O'Connell, in a statement published by NBC News. "The attack was unlawful, the assassination was not justifiable."
Iran made a retaliatory assault on Tuesday night, attacking two military bases where Americans were stationed, along with Iraqi forces. However, there was some warning for the attack, and Americans were able to find shelter.
"This face-saving gesture is the right thing," former intelligence officer Micahel Pregent told The Hill. "The president has leverage with Iraq and Iran now."