Have been in constant contact with our senior military leaders, and im in constant, around the clock, and our commanders on the ground throughout the day, they made it clear that we can and we must complete this mission, and we will. And thats what i have ordered them to do. We will not be deterred by terrorists. We will not let them stop our mission. We will continue the evacuation. Ive also ordered my commanders to develop operational plans to strike Isis K assets, leadership and facilities. We will respond with Force And Position at our time, at the place we choose, in the moment of our choosing. Heres what you need to know. These isis terrorists will not win. We will rescue the americans in there. We will get our afghan allies out. And our mission will go on. America will not be intimidated, and ive the utmost confidence in our brave servicemembers who continue to execute this mission with courage and honour, to save lives and get americans, our partners, ourafghan allies of afghanistan. Every day when i talk to our commanders, i ask them what they need, what more do they need, to get the job done. I reiterated them today on three occasions. That they should take the maximum steps necessary to protect our forces on the ground in maximum steps necessary to protect ourforces on the ground in kabul and asked want to thank the secretary of defence and the military leadership of the pentagon, and all the commanders in the field who have been complete unanimity of every commander of the objective of this mission. In the best way to achieve those objectives. Those who have served through the ages that have served through the ages that have drawn inspiration from the book of isaiah. When the lord says who shall i send, who shall go for us . The American Military has been answering for a long time, cure i am, lord. Send me. Herei answering for a long time, cure i am, lord. Send me. Here i am. Each one of these women and men are the heirs of that tradition of Sacrifice And Volunteering to go in Harms Way to risk everything, not for glory, not for profit but to defend what we love and the people we love. And i ask that you join me now in a moment of silence for all of those in uniform and out military and civilian who have given the last full measure of devotion. Thank you. May god bless you all and may god protect all of the troops standing and watch for america. We have so much to do with that in her capacity to do it. We just have to remain steadfast. Steadfast. We will complete her mission, we will continue after our troops are withdrawn to find means by which we define any american who wishes to Get Out of afghanistan. You will find and get them out. Ladies and gentlemen, they gave me a list here. The first person i was instructed to call on was kelly of nbc. ,. ,. , nbc. You have said leaving afghanistan nbc. You have said leaving afghanistan is nbc. You have said leaving afghanistan is in nbc. You have said leaving afghanistan is in the nbc. You have said leaving L Afghanistan is in the national Interest Afghanistan is in the national interest of the united states. After Todays Interest of the united states. After todays attack, do you believe you will authorise additional forces to respond will authorise additional forces to respond to that attack inside afghanistan and are you prepared to add additional forces to protect those add additional forces to protect those americans who remain on the ground those americans who remain on the ground carrying out the Evacuation Operation . Ground carrying out the Evacuation Operation . I� ve ground carrying out the Evacuation O Eration . � ,. Operation . Ive instructed the military whatever operation . Ive instructed the military whatever they operation . Ive instructed the military whatever they need L Operation . Ive instructed the | military whatever they need to operation . Ive instructed the military whatever they need to come if they need additional force, i will granted. But the military from the chamber of the joint chiefs, commanders in the field have all contacted me One Way or another usually by letter, saying they subscribe to the mission as designed. To get as many people out as we can within the timeframe that is allotted, that is the best way they believe to get as many americans out as possible and others and with regard to finding, tracking down the isis leaders who ordered this, we have some reason to believe, we know who they are, and we will find ways of our choosing with art large Military Operations to get them. Wherever they are. Trevor, wherever they are. Theres been some criticism from people theres been some criticism from people in theres been some criticism from people in your party about the dependence on the taliban to secure the perimeter of the airport. Do you feel like the perimeter of the airport. Do you feel like there was a mistake made in that feel like there was a mistake made in that regard . No. Feel like there was a mistake made in that regard . In that regard . No. I dont. Ithink mckenzie handled in that regard . No. I dont. Ithink mckenzie handled this in that regard . No. I dont. Ithink mckenzie handled this question i in that regard . No. I dont. I think. Mckenzie handled this question very well. The fact is that we are in a situation, we inherited a situation since as we all know, the Afghan Military Collapsed Ii since as we all know, the afghan military collapsed 11 days, that it is in the interest of as mckenzie said, in the interest of the taliban that in fact Isis K does not go beyond what it is. It is that we are able to leave on time, on target as a consequence of that, the major things we have asked them moving back the perimeter, giving more space between the wall. Stopping vehicles from coming through, etc. Searching people coming through. It is what you would call, its not what you call a, they are acting in their interests. Their interests. So, by and large, and have asked the same question, to military on the ground, whether or not it is a useful exercise. No one trusts them, we are discounting on their Self Interests. To continue to generate their activities. And its in their Self Interests that we leave when we said and that we get as many people out as we can. Even in the midst of everything happening today, over 7000 people have gotten out and over 5000 americans. And so, its not a matter of trust, its a matter of mutual self interest. But there is no evidence thus far that ive been given as a consequence of any of our commanders in the field that there has been collusion between the Taliban And Isis in carrying out what happened today both in front of the hotel and what is expected to continue from beyond today. Amir, associated press. Thank you, mr president. You today. Amir, associated press. Thank you, mr president. You, mr president. You have spoken owerfull you, mr president. You have spoken powerfully about you, mr president. You have spoken powerfully about your you, mr president. You have spoken powerfully about your own you, mr president. You have spoken powerfully about your own son you, mr president. You have spoken powerfully about your own Son And L powerfully about your own son and the weight of these decisions. With what you the weight of these decisions. With what you have said, but the longer we stay, what you have said, but the longer we stay, the more likelihood that there we stay, the more likelihood that there would be a major attack. How do you there would be a major attack. How do you weigh stink even one more day considering do you weigh stink even one more day considering what is happened . Considering what is happened . Staying. I considering what is happened . staying. I think what america says matters. What we say we are going to do, in the context that we do it. Unless something exceptional changes. There are additional american citizens, additional Green Card holders, additional personnel. Additional cardholders and afghans who have helped us. And there are additional groups of individuals that wouldve been contacting us from womens groups, To Ngo and others who have expressly indicated that they want to Get Out and have gathered in certain circumstances and groups and buses and other means. That still presents the opportunity for the next several days. Between now and the 31st to be able to get them out. And, our military and i believe, to the extent that we can do that, knowing the threat, knowing that we may very well have another attack, the militaries conclude that is what we should do. I think theyre right. I think they are correct. And after that, we are going to be in a circumstance where there are, there will be numerous opportunities to continue to provide access for additional persons to Get Out of afghanistan. Either through means that we provide and or provided through cooperation with the taliban. They are not good guys, the taliban, im not suggesting that at all. But they have keen interests as many of you have been reporting. They very much like to figure out how to keep the airport open and have the capacity to do it. They very much are trying to figure out whether or not they can maintain what is a portion of an economy that has become not robust, but fundamentally different than it had been. And so, there is a lot of reasons why they have reached out for the judgment of others as to why it would be continued in their interest to get more of the personnel we want to Get Out. Theres not many left that we can assess that want to come out. There are some americans who have identified and contacted the vast majority of them, not all of them. Who do not want to leave because they have dual nationals and extended families, etc. And there are others who are looking for the time. That is why we continue. I would take a few more questions. You sa that would take a few more questions. You say that what would take a few more questions. You say that what america says matters. Would say that what america says matters. Would you say that what america says matters. Would you say to the afghans who helped would you say to the afghans who helped troops who may not be able to et helped troops who may not be able to Get Out helped troops who may not be able to Get Out by helped troops who may not be able to Get Out by August 31 . We helped troops who may not be able to Get Out by August 31 . Get out by August 31 . We will continue to Get Out by August 31 . We will continue to try Get Out by August 31 . We will continue to try to Get Out by August 31 . We will continue to try to get you Get Out by August 31 . We will| continue to try to get you out. Get out by August 31 . We will i continue to try to get you out. It matters. Look, i know of no conflict as a student of history. No conflict where a war was ended, one side was able to guarantee that everyone that wanted to be extracted from that country would Get Out. Think about it, folks. I think, country would Get Out. Think about it, folks. Ithink, i note country would Get Out. Think about it, folks. I think, i note the there are, i would argue, millions of afghan citizens who are not taliban, who did not actively cooperate with us, who have given a chance, they would be on board a plane tomorrow. It sounds ridiculous, but the vast majority of people into communities like that want to come to america given the choice. Getting every single person out, it cant be guaranteed of anybody because there is a determination of who wants to Get Out as well. It is a process. Out as well. It is a process. There are reports out as well. It is a process. There are reports that out as well. It is a process. There are reports that us out as well. It is a process. There are reports that us officials are reports that us officials provided the taliban with names of americans provided the taliban with names of americans and afghan officials to evacuate americans and afghan officials to evacuate stop were you aware of that . Evacuate stop were you aware of that . Did evacuate stop were you aware of that . Did that happen . And did you personally that . Did that happen . And did you personally reject a recommendation to hold personally reject a recommendation to hold or personally reject a recommendation to hold or recapture the air force