Mark Esper: We do not yet know what caused the Beirut explosion
Secretary of Defense Mark Esper spoke with Judge Jeanine Pirro on Fox News about the Trump administration’s plans to help Lebanon in the aftermath of the Beirut explosion, escalating tensions between the US and China, the decision to withdraw American troops from Germany and more.
The U.S. government will do everything in its power to help the Lebanese people in Tuesday’s wake of the massive explosion at a port in Beirut that killed more than 100 people and injured thousands, Defense Secretary Mark Esper said Saturday night.
It remained unclear whether the deadly explosion was a deliberate attack or an accident, Esper said during an appearance on Fox News’ “Justice with Judge Jeanine.”
“It’s just devastating and I just grieve for the people,” Esper said. “I will tell you, the DOJ, the state, the full interference in the direction and leadership of President Trump, we will provide humanitarian aid to the people of Lebanon.
“I have already assembled planes to deliver such, such supplies. We want to do everything we can to help the Lebanese people in this hour of need.”
BEIRUT EXPLOSION LINE TO RUSSIAN SHIP STORE AMMONIUM NITRATE LEFT IN PORT, CALLED ‘FLOATING BOMB’
An unspecified number of port officials were placed under house arrest on Wednesday amid the Lebanese government’s investigation into the blast. Public outrage fell against the Lebanese ruling elite, who were blamed for chronic mismanagement and invisibility at the port prior to the disaster.
The port and customs office in Beirut is notorious for corruption, in a nation where various political factions – including Hezbollah, a Shia Islamist militant group – are seizing control. But the extent to which corruption could have led to the explosion was not clear, Esper said.
“The bottom line is, we still don’t know,” he said. “You know, on the first day, as President Trump rightly said, we thought it might have been an attack. Some of us speculate that it could be, for example, a Hezbollah armed shipment that blew up. Maybe a Hezbollah bombing facility. . “
Media ‘reprehensible’ actions
Esper also criticized some in the media, claiming that they were trying to divide Trump administration officials amid speculation about the explosion.
“I commented that it looked more like an accident. And it’s a shame that some in the media … [are] try to draw divisions within the administration between maybe me and the president and others, “said Esper.” Simply not true. I mean, the fact of the matter is, it’s a great tragedy. Under the leadership of the President, we will do everything we can to help the Lebanese people and do what is right. “
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The secretary also discussed US-China relations in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
“We are not looking for a conflict with China, but we must stand up for what is good. And the president has done this under his leadership. We are finally standing up for our economic interests, for human rights abroad, preserving our security interests.” and region, “said Esper. “And as I shared this morning with the Chinese Minister of Defense, we are deeply concerned about how China is treating the coronavirus and the destruction it is causing to the world but to the United States. particular.
“And that we expect transparency and access and cooperation to make sure we understand what happened and do everything we can to prevent a similar thing from happening again.”
Fox News’ Danielle Wallace contributed to this report.
