Trump’s strike on Syria brings abrupt end to Democrats’ narrative that president is Putin’s pal

President Donald Trump raised the ire of his counterpart in Moscow by striking a Syrian airfield Thursday, and in doing so disrupted the narrative – pushed hard by Democrats and their allies in the national media – that he is too cozy with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Coverage of Trump’s military action has noted that the launch of 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles – aimed at the airfield from which Syrian President Bashar Assad’s forces are believed to have deployed a chemical-weapon attack on civilians this week – puts the United States at odds with Russia, which has supported the Assad regime. A few excerpts from the coverage:

• Putin denounced the U.S. action as “aggression against a sovereign state in violation of the norms of international law under a far-fetched pretext.” He said the strikes “dealt a serious blow to Russian-U.S. relations” and that their aim was to distract from the civilian deaths from coalition airstrikes in Iraq, a statement from his press office said. (CNN)

• Mr. Putin considered the attack a breach of international law that had been made under a false pretext, Peskov said. Moscow also called on the United Nations Security Council to convene an emergency meeting, and the Russian Foreign Ministry said it was freezing an agreement with the United States to coordinate air operations over Syria. (New York Times)

• Trump’s decision to strike Syrian government forces is a particularly notable shift for a leader who in the past had repeatedly said he wanted better relations with Moscow, including to cooperate with Russia to fight Islamic State. ... Russian media long portrayed Trump as a figure who would promote closer relations with Moscow. At home, Trump’s opponents have accused him of being too supportive of Putin. (Reuters)