[cdchik123]

The title makes it seem like he said the response wasn’t optimal. He said four dead Americans wasn’t...

[wideawake]

Exactly. The parsing has begun.

He said what he said and they are trying to massage it.

"Can you say that louder Candy!"

[nikos1121]

Adj. 1. optimal - most desirable possible under a restriction expressed or implied; “an optimum return on capital”; “optimal concentration of a drug”
optimum
best - (superlative of `good’) having the most positive qualities; “the best film of the year”; “the best solution”; “the best time for planting”; “wore his best suit”

Sounds like a very impassionate description that represents in one word, this president’s presidency. Detached and removed.