Donald Trump announces U.S. position in Syria conflict
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - OCTOBER 28: Republican presidential nominee, former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally at McCamish Pavilion on October 28, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia. Trump is expected to continue visiting battleground states through the week leading up to the Nov. 5th election. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
President-elect Donald Trump reiterated on Saturday that the United States should steer clear of involvement in the ongoing conflict in Syria. Posting on Truth Social, Trump wrote:
“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 emphasized that Russia, a longstanding ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, is preoccupied with its war in Ukraine and appears unable to prevent the opposition’s advances in Syria.
He suggested that Russia’s potential withdrawal from Syria might even benefit Moscow, as its involvement in the region has yielded limited strategic returns.
The remarks align with Trump’s longstanding skepticism of U.S. military commitments abroad. During his first term, he expressed a desire to withdraw the approximately 900 U.S. troops stationed in northeastern Syria, where they support Syrian Kurd-led forces against ISIS.
In 2018, Trump initially announced plans for a troop withdrawal, arguing that ISIS had been largely defeated. However, the decision was delayed after advisers warned that such a move could enable Russia and Iran to expand their influence in Syria and destabilize the region further.
Trump’s comments came ahead of a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris, underscoring his preference for limiting U.S. military engagements in foreign conflicts.
