US President Donald Trump expressed his gratitude to the Pakistani government for capturing the “top terrorist” linked to the bombing in 2021 at the Abbey Gate in Afghanistan where 13 US service members were killed on Wednesday.
In his address to a joint session of Congress, President Trump stated that “three and a half years ago, a [Daesh] terrorists killed 13 American service members and countless others in the Abbey Gate bombing.”
He emphasized the importance of this cooperation in the fight against terrorism.
“Tonight, I am pleased to announce that we have just apprehended the top terrorist responsible for that atrocity, and he is right now on his way here to face the swift sword of American justice,” Trump said.
“As President Trump just announced, I can report that tonight the FBI, DOJ, and CIA have extradited one of the terrorists responsible for the murder of the 13 American soldiers at Abbey Gate during the disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal,” FBI Director Kash Patel posted on X shortly after Trump announced the arrest.
Mohammad Sharifullah, who was allegedly involved in the planning of the bombing, was being extradited to the US, CNN reported on Tuesday, citing an White House official.
After a short pause and a round of applause, he expressed his gratitude to the Government of Pakistan for assisting in the capture of the “monster,” stating that it was “a very significant day for the families affected.”
At 100 minutes, the speech was the longest presidential address to Congress in modern US history, according to The American Presidency Project.
President Trump wrapped up his speech just before 11pm.
This record is noted by the American Presidency Project, which monitors the duration of presidential addresses to Congress.
Trump’s speech lasted approximately 1 hour and 39 minutes.
The second-longest address was given by former President Bill Clinton in 2000, lasting 89 minutes, including time for applause and interruptions.
Trump’s previous longest speech to this audience was an hour and 22 minutes in 2019.
He vowed to balance the federal budget, even as he urged lawmakers to enact a sweeping tax cut agenda that nonpartisan analysts say could add more than $5 trillion to the federal government’s $36 trillion debt load. Congress will need to act to raise the nation’s debt ceiling later this year or risk a devastating default.
World leaders were watching Trump’s speech closely, a day after he paused all military aid to Ukraine. The suspension followed an Oval Office blowup in which Trump angrily upbraided Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in front of TV cameras.
Trump said Zelenskiy wrote him a letter on Tuesday saying Ukraine was prepared to sign a rare earth minerals deal that had been left in limbo by their clash.
“Simultaneously, we’ve had serious discussions with Russia and have received strong signals that they are ready for peace,” Trump said. “Wouldn’t that be beautiful?”
The pause in aid threatened Kyiv’s efforts to defend against Russia, which launched a full-scale invasion three years ago, and further rattled European leaders worried that Trump is moving the US too far toward Moscow.
Trump reiterated his intention to impose additional reciprocal tariffs on April 2, a move that would likely roil financial markets even more.
“Other countries have used tariffs against us for decades, and now it’s our turn to start using them against those other countries,” he said.
On this point, many Republicans remained seated, a signal of how Trump’s tariffs have divided his party.
Trump’s 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada, two of the country’s closest allies, and an additional 10% on Chinese imports deepened investor concerns about the economy. The Nasdaq Composite is down more than 9% from its record closing high on December 16, near the 10% decline commonly called a market correction.
Trump, who has often taken credit for market increases, did not mention this week’s downturn in his speech. He also barely mentioned stubbornly high prices, blaming Biden and saying he was “fighting every day” to lower costs.
Just one in three Americans approve of Trump’s handling of the cost of living, according to the Reuters/Ipsos poll, a potential danger sign amid worries his tariffs could increase inflation.
Trump urged Congress to extend his 2017 tax cuts. Congressional Republicans have advanced a sweeping $4.5 trillion plan that would extend the tax cuts, tighten border security and fund a huge increase in deportations.
The proposal calls for $2 trillion in spending reductions over a decade, with possible cuts to education, healthcare and other social services.
The nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget estimates that Trump’s full tax agenda, including elimination of taxes on tips, overtime pay and Social Security benefits, could cost between $5 trillion and $11.2 trillion over a decade.
