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Trump praises Türkiye: Removing Assad was a smart move!
Donald Trump called the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad an "unfriendly takeover" by Turkey and commented on his foreign policy during a press conference in Florida.
Trump praises Türkiye: Removing Assad was a smart move!
Donald Trump talks about the dramatic developments in Syria and the role of Türkiye!
Newly elected US President Donald Trump has described the ouster of Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad as an “unfriendly takeover” by Turkey! In a gripping news conference Monday at his luxury Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, Trump offered glimpses of his upcoming foreign policy plans as he prepares for his second inauguration on January 20.
"I think Turkey is very smart. ... Turkey carried out an unfriendly takeover without many lives lost. Assad was a butcher for what he did to children," Trump said, praising the Turkish government. Those comments came after the longtime Syrian leader's surprise ouster on December 8, made possible by a lightning-fast offensive by rebels led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).
Turkey's role in the Syrian conflict
Turkey, under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has taken a strong stance against al-Assad's rule and supports the Syrian National Army (SNA) operating in northwestern Syria. Despite support for the rebels, it remains unclear to what extent Ankara supports groups like HTS. Trump stressed that Turkey could be key to Syria's future while the country has been at war since 2011.
In the past, Trump has stated that the conflict is “not our fight.” During his first term in office, he planned to withdraw about 900 US soldiers who were serving in Syria in advisory roles for the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). But pressure from allies concerned about the return of ISIL (ISIS) stopped him from doing so. When asked whether he would withdraw US troops, Trump dodged, saying: "Nobody knows what the future holds for Syria."
Trump also commented on developments in the Gaza Strip and reported a “very good conversation” with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The two discussed efforts to release hostages held in Gaza before Trump takes office. Trump warned: “If these hostages don’t come home by this date, all hell will break loose.”
A look at Ukraine and TikTok
Regarding the Ukraine conflict, Trump dismissed questions about talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, but said he would speak to both Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. "We have to stop this. It's carnage," Trump said, describing the destruction of the cities as "rubble." He compared the destruction to the demolition of a building in Manhattan, which underlines the drama of the situation.
Trump also spoke about the threat of a federal ban on the popular social media platform TikTok, which is used by many young people. He explained that he would review the upcoming lockdown, adding: "I have a warm place in my heart for TikTok."
On the domestic front, Trump commented on reports of drone sightings in the eastern United States and called for more transparency from the government. "The government knows what is happening. For some reason they don't want to comment," he said, calling for more clarity.
In another controversial topic, Trump defended his choice for health secretary, prominent vaccine critic Robert F. Kennedy Jr. He stressed that he was a "big supporter" of the polio vaccine and that people should not fear for access to the vaccine.