Barack Obama, the President of the United States, addressed the nation several hours after the bombings. He said that while the people behind the bombings were still not known, the government would "get to the bottom of this.", and that those people would feel "the full weight of justice." The President addressed the nation again the next day. He later described the bombings as an act of terrorism, saying that "Any times bombs are used to target innocent civilians, it is an act of terror."