Trump repeatedly says Kurds are “not angels” — live updates

FAN Editor

President Trump slammed Kurds in northeastern Syria on Wednesday, saying repeatedly that members of the group that assisted the U.S. in the fight against the terrorist group ISIS are “not angels.” 

He also tacitly condoned Turkish invasion of northeastern Syria, even as Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo are visiting Turkey to urge President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to end the conflict, comments Trump ally Sen. Lindsey Graham said undermines their mission.

“They’re not angels, they’re not angels, take a look. You have to go back and take a look,” Mr. Trump said of the Kurds during a bilateral meeting at the White House alongside Italian President Sergio Mattarella.

Trending News

The president authorized a drawdown of troops in northeastern Syria last week, a decision which has been met with loud criticism from Democrats and Republicans in Congress, who have introduced bipartisan measures to place sanctions on Turkey. The Kurds are guarding several prisons containing former ISIS fighters and their families, leading to concerns that the prisoners could escape.

The president suggested that the U.S. should not get involved if Turkey invades Syria, even though his administration introduced some sanctions against Turkey for engaging in the conflict this week.

“That has nothing to do with us,” Mr. Trump said. “They’ve got a lot of sand over there … There’s a lot of sand they can play with.”

In a press conference later Wednesday, Mr. Trump touted Turkey as paying nearly enough on defense spending for a NATO ally, even as Turkey uses some of those funds to launch an assault on the Kurds. Mr. Trump repeated his line that the Kurds aren’t angels during the press conference.

“No, President Erdogan’s decision didn’t surprise me,” Mr. Trump said. 

Trump says Kurds are “not angels”

Italy’s president expressed concern over Turkey’s assault on the Kurds, and for how ISIS now has space to expand. Mattarella condemned Turkey’s assault on the Kurds. 

The president also defended the decision to send 1,500 American troops to Saudi Arabia, saying the Saudis were “paying” for the troops’ presence “100%.”

Editor’s note: An earlier version of this story said that President Trump had said, “If Turkey goes into Syria, it is between Turkey and Syria. It’s not our problem.” In fact, Mr. Trump said, “It’s not our border.” The story has been updated.

Free America Network Articles

Leave a Reply

Next Post

Trump broaches tariffs to solve U.S.-EU trade problems, but says ‘would be too harsh’

FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump arrives to welcome the 2019 National Hockey League (NHL) Stanley Cup champion St. Louis Blues in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, U.S., October 15, 2019. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst October 16, 2019 WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Donald Trump on Wednesday said that […]