Donald Trump criticized former President Barack Obama while wading into the ongoing Syria conflict on Saturday, saying the U.S. should not get involved nor should it have ever inserted itself in the matter.
In keeping with his isolationist foreign policy, the president-elect wrote on Truth Social that the United States “should have nothing to do with” the situation in Syria – where rebels are currently trying to take over the capital in an attempt to overthrow President Bashar al-Assad’s government.
“THIS IS NOT OUR FIGHT. LET IT PLAY OUT. DO NOT GET INVOLVED!” Trump wrote.
Yet at the same time, Trump blamed Obama for failing to intervene in the conflict in 2013 when the Russia-backed government used chemical weapons as a form of attack – something Obama initially said was the “red line” that would move the U.S. to get involved.
“This is where former President Obama refused to honor his commitment of protecting the RED LINE IN THE SAND, and all hell broke out, with Russia stepping in,” Trump wrote.
Russia, an ally of al-Assad, intervened in the Syrian conflict years ago. However, Trump said due to the current status of the Ukraine–Russia conflict, Moscow cannot pivot its attention this time.
“Opposition fighters in Syria, in an unprecedented move, have totally taken over numerous cities, in a highly coordinated offensive, and are now on the outskirts of Damascus, obviously preparing to make a very big move toward taking out Assad,” Trump wrote.
“Russia, because they are so tied up in Ukraine, and with the loss there of over 600,000 soldiers, seems incapable of stopping this literal march through Syria, a country they have protected for years.”
The president-elect said there was “never much of a benefit” in Syria for Russia “other than to make Obama look really stupid.”
“In any event, 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!” he added.
Trump’s comments came as he was in Paris meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and French President Emmanuel Macron in his first return to the world stage since clinching victory in the election.
The conflict in Syria has been going on since 2011. The government, led by al-Assad, has been a central part of the situation having used brutality against peaceful protesters during the Arab Spring.
Since then, the Syrian government has relied on its allyship with Russia, Iran, Hezbollah and others to stay in power.
However, those allies, much like Russia, have had their attentions diverted by other crises, giving insurgents an opportunity to push forward in the hopes of unseating al-Assad.
Over the last week, conflict has escalated in the country, with rebels beginning to seize much of the northwest territory in an attempt to oust al-Assad.
So far, insurgents, led by the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), have captured land in the city of Aleppo and several Damascus suburbs – marking the first time opposition forces have reached the outskirts of the capital since 2018.
The Syrian army has reportedly withdrawn from several Damascus suburbs signalling that al-Assad is losing control over parts of the country.
Under Trump, who will return to the White House in a little over a month, it seems unlikely the U.S. will get involved. The president-elect, and his allies, have taken an isolationist approach to foreign conflicts, believing the U.S. should not get involved unless it has a direct interest in it.
