French President Emmanuel Macron said Sunday he has convinced President Trump to keep U. S. troops in Syria long-term.
French President Emmanuel Macron said Sunday he has convinced President Trump to keep U. S. troops in Syria long-term.
“Ten days ago, President Trump was saying ‘the United States should withdraw form Syria.’ We convinced him it was necessary to stay,” Macron said in an interview with French media.
In addition, the French president said he persuaded Trump that the U. S. and its allies should only carry out missile strikes aimed at Syrian chemical weapons facilities. Macron said officials helped narrow the president’s focus for potential strikes after he had «gotten a little carried away over tweets.»
“America does not seek an indefinite presence in Syria,” he said. “It’s a troubled place. We will try to make it better. But it’s a troubled place.”
Trump had warned Russia that «nice and new and ‘smart'» missiles would be heading to Syria prior to his administration’s announcement of the strikes.
The president had in recent weeks raised uncertainty over the future of the U. S.’ role in Syria moving forward. He said during an appearance in Ohio late last month that he planned to withdraw troops “very soon.”
Trump reiterated that stance again during a press conference with Baltic leaders earlier this month, adding that the U. S. could extend its military presence in Syria if other countries, including Saudi Arabia, pay for it.
Multiple military advisers and lawmakers pushed back on Trump’s comments, with many warning that pulling troops out of Syria would be a mistake.
