US President Trump to Make ‘Major Statement’ Sunday
Posted: Sat Oct 26, 2019 9:54 pm
FILE - This image made from video posted on a militant website, July 5, 2014, purports to show the leader of the Islamic State group, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, delivering a sermon at a mosque in Iraq.
WASHINGTON - U.S. President Donald Trump plans to make a “major statement” at the White House at 9 a.m. EST (1300 GMT) Sunday, White House spokesman Hogan Gidley said late Saturday.
Gidley gave no further details, and it was unclear what the topic of Trump’s statement might be.
There was speculation, however, that Trump might have news about Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the elusive militant who has been the subject of an international manhunt for years.
The president gave an indication that something was afoot earlier Saturday night when he tweeted without explanation:
Trump has been frustrated by the U.S. news media’s heavy focus on the Democratic-led impeachment inquiry, which he calls an illegitimate witch hunt.
He has also faced withering criticism from both Republicans and Democrats alike for his U.S. troop withdrawal from northeastern Syria, which permitted Turkey to attack America’s Kurdish allies.
Trump was expected to make the statement in the White House Diplomatic Reception Room, which he has used to make a number of major announcements.
Just last week he used the same room to announce that a ceasefire between Turkey and the Kurds had taken hold.