I believe the public statement was the pleading part and the rest is just semantics since he has said in the past that he didn’t need them and that the war was virtually over. In fact I’m the same breath he mentioned that they were decapitated. Why would you need help with a decapitated event? I mean would you actually expect him to say the words “I’m pleading with…?”

I think there have been many exaggerations regarding TACO, he practically invites them after all, but this one is pretty mild.