In his first press conference in four months, President Obama assured reporters that al-Qaeda terrorists “are less likely to be able to carry out spectacular homeland attacks like 9/11.” The president’s statement comes in the midst of concerns about the group’s resurgence, which earlier this week prompted the closure of American embassies throughout the Middle East. Non-essential personnel were evacuated earlier today from the American consulate in Lahore, Pakistan.


The president also reiterated that while “core al-Qaeda is on its heels, has been decimated,” it has “metastasized” into regional groups that threaten the United States on a smaller scale than the original terror organization.