Waching daily May 27 2018

Sarah Sanders Shares Heartbreaking News And Starts Crying At Press Brief

good afternoon it's good to be back you guys don't seem nearly as excited I

thought for sure there'd be balloons or something well save that for next time I

guess earlier this week the president delivered his first primetime address to

the nation on our path forward in Afghanistan in South Asia the

president's strategy is based on conditions on the ground not arbitrary

timetables and it will ensure terrorists never again use Afghanistan as a haven

to attack the United States the brave men and women of our nation's military

have given extraordinary sacrifices to this longest war in American history the

president recognized those sacrifices on Monday during his speech and I'd like to

recognize one particular story here today Joseph a gentleman from Santa Fe

Tennessee sent his son a master sergeant in the United States Air Force a letter

nearly 10 years ago while he was serving our country in Iraq now his son is on

his second tour of duty in Afghanistan and his father has generously shared the

letter and mailed it to the president that he wrote Joseph told the president

that he's been a police officer for over 30 years and that he sent this letter to

his son and on to the White House in hopes that the president would actually

receive it and read it which I'm glad to say that he did earlier today in his

letter to his son Joseph wrote please don't lose sight of your purpose you're

the only hope and glimmer of light for the good innocent men women and children

that you are protecting this may be hard for you to see or understand most people

know that all of you are there because you volunteered to be there your actions

and dedication are seen by people throughout the world as without a doubt

the most heroic action of any person which can be made you and the soldier

standing next to you from all of the other countries are the pride of not

only the nations they represent but every individual that yearns to be free

my son and be steadfast for it is you who are the defender of freedom we owe

it to the service men and women like the Master Sergeant who have fought in our

name in Afghanistan for 17 years and to the families who have watched

them go to secure an honorable and lasting outcome to this conflict as the

president said on Monday the men and women who serve our nation in combat

deserve a plan for victory and once that victory has been achieved they also

deserve to return home to a country that honors their sacrifices and provides our

nation's heroes with the support they've earned by risking their lives to ensure

the freedoms of all Americans that's why the president was also honored to sign

yet another historic piece of legislation to support our veterans

earlier this week the VA Choice Act streamlines the lengthy process of

appealing claims for disability benefits for the more than four hundred and

seventy thousand veterans that are still waiting for decisions under the

leadership of secretary Shulkin the VA is steadily delivering on the

president's promise to fix the broken VA system finally before I'd open it up to

take your questions as you're all very well aware I kind of love birthdays

around here and oddly we have quite a few of them

going on major Garrett happy birthday but even more importantly it's a I'm

pretty lucky I think I have two of the best parents in the world and it's my

dad's birthday so happy birthday dad and it's my niece's birthday so I get to go

knock out a ton of stuff today my only niece Caroline turned four today and

with that I will take your questions thank you god bless you and God bless

america