White House press secretary Sean Spicer issued this statement Thursday morning, titled "United States' solidarity with the Philippines":
"The United States condemns the recent violence perpetrated by an ISIS-linked terrorist group in the southern Philippines. These cowardly terrorists killed Philippine law enforcement officials and endangered the lives of innocent citizens. The United States will continue to provide support and assistance to Philippine counterterrorism efforts. The United States is a proud ally of the Philippines, and we will continue to work with the Philippines to address shared threats to the peace and security of our countries."