President-elect Donald Trump reacted Saturday on the intensifying conflict in Syria, where opposition forces have reportedly taken control of several cities.
In a social media post, Trump declared, "THE UNITED STATES SHOULD HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH IT. THIS IS NOT OUR FIGHT. LET IT PLAY OUT. DO NOT GET INVOLVED!"
He further added that if Syrian rebels succeed in ousting President Bashar al-Assad, it could ultimately work to Russia's advantage. Trump also noted that Moscow is heavily distracted by its ongoing war in Ukraine and unable to effectively counter the rebel forces.
Trump criticized the Obama administration for its failure to enforce the 2013 "red line" on Syria, which promised U.S. military action if chemical weapons were used. Trump reiterated his "America First" stance, emphasizing that Syria is not the U.S.'s fight. "Syria is a mess but is not our friend," he wrote on social media, advocating for a hands-off approach.
Trump's comments come in contrast to his actions while in office. In 2017, he ordered a military strike on a Syrian government airbase in response to a chemical weapons attack that killed dozens of civilians. The strike involved 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles targeting the airbase responsible for launching the attack, marking the first direct U.S. military action against al-Assad's regime during the civil war.
The decision represented a notable shift from Trump's earlier opposition to U.S. military intervention in Syria during his first presidential campaign.
On Sunday, al-Assad fled the country for an unknown destination, ending a fifty-year regime as opposition forces took over the capital city of Damascus.
"We celebrate with the Syrian people the news of freeing our prisoners and releasing their chains and announcing the end of the era of injustice in Sednaya prison," Syrian Opposition said.
The escalating crisis in Syria is reverberating across the region, prompting Lebanon to shut all land border crossings with Syria except one linking Beirut and Damascus. Meanwhile, Jordan also closed a key border crossing.
Amid the turmoil, eight major countries convened with the U.N. special envoy on Syria for two hours of discussions during the Doha Summit on Saturday night, with further talks planned. The U.N. envoy is pushing for urgent negotiations in Geneva to facilitate an "orderly political transition" in Syria as the situation continues to unfold.
