Trump warns Assad: ‘Big price to pay’
images of hurt children helped be independently verified. spur the president to launch The developments come as that air strike, and television Trump has moved to dramatically new shows on Sunday aired scale back U.S. goals in similar depictions of suffering Syria, pushing for a quick military young Syrians. withdrawal despite resistance
“Many dead, including from many of his national women and children, in mindless security advisers. Trump has CHEMICAL attack given no formal in Syria,” Trump order to pull out tweeted. “Area of the 2,000 U.S. atrocity is in lockdown troops in Syria or and encircled by offered a public Syrian Army, making it timetable other completely inaccessible than to say the to outside world. U.S. will withdraw President Putin, Russia Donald Trump as soon as and Iran are responsible for the remaining Islamic State backing Animal Assad. Big fighters can be vanquished. price to pay. Open area immediately But Trump has signalled to for medical help and his advisers that, ideally, he verification. Another humanitarian wants all troops out within six disaster for no reason months. whatsoever. SICK!” Republican Sen. John
Saturday’s attack took place McCain of Arizona said Assad in a rebel-held town near heard Trump’s signal that he Damascus amid a resumed wanted to withdraw from Syria offensive by Syrian government and, “emboldened by forces after the collapse American inaction,” launched of a truce. Syrian activists, rescuers the attack. In a statement, and medics said a poison McCain said Trump “responded gas attack in Douma killed decisively” last year with at least 40 people, with families the air strike and urged Trump found suffocated in their to be forceful again to houses and shelters. The “demonstrate that Assad will reports could not immediately pay a price for his war crimes.”
Images released by the Syrian Civil Defence White Helmets, a volunteer organization, show children lying on the ground motionless and foaming at the mouth. The Assad government, in a statement posted on the state-run news agency SANA, denied responsibility.
Trump was briefed about the attack by his chief of staff, John Kelly, officials said. Trump’s homeland security adviser, Thomas Bossert, noted the timing of the suspected chemical attack — almost a year to the day of the U.S. missile strikes.
“This isn’t just the United States. This is one of those issues on which every nation, all peoples, have all agreed and have agreed since World War II, it’s an unacceptable practice,” Bossert said.
Asked about the potential for an American missile strike in response, Bossert said: “I wouldn’t take anything off the table. These are horrible photos. We’re looking into the attack at this point.” Bashar Assad
Trump was to meet with his senior military leadership on Monday, the same day his new national security adviser, John Bolton, assumes his post. Bolton has previously advocated significant airstrikes against Syria.
Vice-President Mike Pence on Sunday deemed it a “likely chemical attack” and reiterated Trump’s threat that consequences would be coming for those responsible.
“We condemn in the strongest possible terms the assault on innocent lives, including children,” Pence tweeted. “The Assad regime & its backers MUST END their barbaric behaviour.”
Trump’s decision to single out Putin in a tweet appeared noteworthy because Trump long has been reluctant to personally criticize the Russian leader. Even as the White House, after some delay, imposed tough new sanctions on Russia in the wake of its U.S. election meddling and suspected poisoning of a former spy on British soil, Trump left it to others in his administration to deliver the rebukes to Moscow.