In an interview Tuesday, President Obama said that telling the families of hostages that the United States won't pay ransom is "as tough as anything I do."
Obama also said he was "heartbroken" when he heard that 26-year-old hostage Kayla Mueller had died after being held by ISIS for more than a year. "She was an outstanding young woman and a great spirit — I think that spirit will live on," he told BuzzFeed News. "The more people learn about her, the more they appreciate what she stood for — and how it stands in contrast with the barbaric organization that held her captive."
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