Trump defends decision to withdraw US troops from Syria, slams Mattis, McGurk
President Donald Trump has defended his decision to pull US troops out of Syria, criticizing personnel from his national security team who resigned this week.
Trump announced the decision on Wednesday after he declared victory against Daesh terrorists in Syria.
Following the announcement, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis offered his resignation with the State Department's senior envoy to the so-called anti-Daesh coalition, Brett McGurk, resigning from his post afterwards.
Trump said in a tweet Saturday that McGurk’s tenure had been slated to expire in February, accusing him of blowing his exit out of proportion.
News reports on Friday said that McGurk would leave the Trump administration in February, but hastened his decision because of Trump's order.
Brett McGurk, who I do not know, was appointed by President Obama in 2015. Was supposed to leave in February but he just resigned prior to leaving. Grandstander? The Fake News is making such a big deal about this nothing event!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 23, 2018
In another tweet, Trump criticized media for reporting that his decision had been made without first consulting senior officials at the Pentagon.
If anybody but your favorite President, Donald J. Trump, announced that, after decimating ISIS in Syria, we were going to bring our troops back home (happy & healthy), that person would be the most popular hero in America. With me, hit hard instead by the Fake News Media. Crazy!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 23, 2018
In a later massage, he attacked Mattis directly, saying he had given the former general a second chance after being fired by former President Barack Obama.
He also criticized a section of the defense secretary’s official resignation letter that detailed the need for close ties with US allies.
When President Obama ingloriously fired Jim Mattis, I gave him a second chance. Some thought I shouldn’t, I thought I should. Interesting relationship-but I also gave all of the resources that he never really had. Allies are very important-but not when they take advantage of U.S.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 23, 2018
Meanwhile, senior members of the Republican Party have expressed concern about Trump's decision, vowing to investigate the resignation of Mattis.
Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who said the resignation had saddened him, vowed to hold a hearing with Mattis in attendance to investigate the troop withdrawal.
“I’m going to ask for hearings like right now about Syria,” he said, before heading into a meeting with Republicans.
Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman James M. Inhofe, a Republican from Oklahoma, noted that it was “inappropriate” for the president to have ignored his national security advisers.
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