Trump opposes US involvement in Syria conflict
President-elect Donald Trump reiterated his stance on Saturday that the United States should avoid involvement in Syria’s conflict, where opposition forces continue to challenge President Bashar al-Assad’s government.
In a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump stated:
“Syria is a mess, but is not our friend, & THE UNITED STATES SHOULD HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH IT. THIS IS NOT OUR FIGHT. LET IT PLAY OUT. DO NOT GET INVOLVED!”
Trump highlighted that Russia, a staunch ally of Assad, is preoccupied with its war in Ukraine and appears unable to halt the opposition’s progress in Syria.
He suggested that Russia’s potential withdrawal from Syria might be advantageous, as its presence there has yielded little benefit.
Trump’s remarks also reflect his long-standing criticism of the deployment of approximately 900 US troops in northeastern Syria, where they support a Kurdish-led alliance to prevent an ISIS resurgence.
During his first term in 2018, Trump announced plans to withdraw US troops, arguing that ISIS was nearly defeated. However, he delayed the pullout following advice that a withdrawal could leave a vacuum for Iran and Russia to exploit.
