President Trump said Monday he is pulling troops out of Syria as part of his campaign promise, adding if anyone else was bringing members of the military home they would be “a national hero.”
The decision has rocked Washington, leading to top officials in the administration to resign — including Secretary of Defense James Mattis, who will be temporarily replaced by Patrick Shanahan on Tuesday.
The president reminded in a series of tweets Monday that he campaigned against “never ending wars.”
“If anybody but Donald Trump did what I did in Syria, which was an ISIS loaded mess when I became President, they would be a national hero. ISIS is mostly gone, we’re slowly sending our troops back home to be with their families, while at the same time fighting ISIS remnants,” he tweeted.
“I campaigned on getting out of Syria and other places. Now when I start getting out the Fake News Media, or some failed Generals who were unable to do the job before I arrived, like to complain about me & my tactics, which are working. Just doing what I said I was going to do!” he added.
One of the president’s allies Sen. Lindsey Graham, South Carolina Republican, had requested he reconsider the decision, but the two had lunch together on Sunday, which left Mr. Graham reassured.
SEE ALSO: Lindsey Graham: Trump slows Syria withdrawal
“The President will make sure any withdrawal from Syria will be done in a fashion to ensure: 1) ISIS is permanently destroyed. 2) Iran doesn’t fill in the back end, and 3) our Kurdish allies are protected,” Mr. Graham tweeted Sunday.
“President @realDonaldTrump is talking with our commanders and working with our allies to make sure these three objectives are met as we implement the withdrawal,” he added.
• Alex Swoyer can be reached at aswoyer@washingtontimes.com.
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