(Washington) US President Donald Trump admitted on Wednesday that the gigantic explosions that ravaged Beirut could have been caused by an “accident”, without however going back on his controversial remarks the day before, when he said that they looked like a “terrible attack”.
Posted on August 5 2020 at 15 h 41 Updated at 15 h 30
France Media Agency
“I can tell you that whatever happened, it's terrible, but they don't really know what it is. No one knows yet, ”he told a White House press conference.
“I heard both things. I heard accident. I heard, you know, explosives. Obviously it must have been some type of explosive, but whether it was an intentionally set off bomb or not, it ended up being a bomb, “said the President of the United States.
Someone “left some terrible explosive devices and things lying around, maybe. Maybe that was it. Maybe it was an attack. I don't think anyone can say that right now, ”he added.
“We are in solidarity with this country,” said Donald Trump. “We have a very good relationship with this country, but it is a country in the midst of crisis and many problems.”
The Republican billionaire said on Tuesday that the explosions “looked like a terrible attack”.
“I met our generals and it looks like it wasn't an industrial accident. It seems, according to them, that it was an attack, it was a bomb, ”he explained.
Pentagon chief Mark Esper told him about an accident on Wednesday.
PHOTO OLIVIER DOULIERY, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE ARCHIVES
US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper
“I'm inquiring about what happened,” the US defense minister said in an online forum. “Most people think it was an accident, as has been reported.”
Mr. Esper said Washington is “positioning itself” to provide humanitarian aid to Lebanon.
Foreign Minister Mike Pompeo said he offered US aid in a telephone interview Wednesday with Lebanese Prime Minister Hassan Diab.
The US Secretary of State expressed Washington's “steadfast commitment” “to help the Lebanese people who are facing the consequences of this terrifying event,” the State Department said in a statement.
The latter does not mention the causes of the disaster, referring only to a “terrible explosion”.
The Lebanese authorities declared that the blasts, which left more than 51 dead and 4000 injured, were due to the explosion of 2750 tons of ammonium nitrate in the harbor. Ammonium is used in some fertilizers, but also in explosives.