WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump expressed on Saturday his belief that the United States should refrain from military involvement in Syria, particularly as rebel forces launch a significant offensive that has reached the outskirts of the capital. He conveyed his message through a social media post, stating, “THIS IS NOT OUR FIGHT.”
These comments marked Trump’s first substantial reaction to the ongoing situation while he was in Paris attending the reopening of the renowned Notre Dame cathedral. He emphasized that Syrian President Bashar Assad is not worthy of U.S. support in remaining in power.
Assad’s government has the backing of both Russia and Iran. The Biden administration has indicated that the Syrian rebels, who are advancing towards Damascus, are closely linked to terrorist factions. They suggested that the rapid rebel progress illustrates how distracted Russia and Iran are by their engagements in Ukraine and other regions.
Additionally, the Biden administration has clarified that it is not endorsing the offensive and has not proposed any military intervention from the U.S. Currently, around 900 American troops are stationed in the northeast of Syria, collaborating with Kurdish allies to prevent a resurgence of the Islamic State.
Syrian opposition activists and regional authorities are closely monitoring any signals from both the Biden and upcoming Trump administrations regarding the U.S. response to the unexpected advances made by the rebels against Assad.
Meanwhile, on Saturday, the United Nations’ special envoy for Syria urged for immediate discussions in Geneva to facilitate an “orderly political transition” within the country.
In his post, Trump remarked that Russia is so preoccupied with the situation in Ukraine that it seems “incapable of halting the advances through Syria, a territory they have safeguarded for years.” He suggested that the rebels might successfully topple Assad.
Trump also criticized the U.S. strategy concerning the prolonged conflict in Syria, which has now persisted for 13 years, yet he voiced support for the successes of the opposition against Assad and Russian forces.
“Syria is a mess, but is not our friend, & THE UNITED STATES SHOULD HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH IT. THIS IS NOT OUR FIGHT. LET IT PLAY OUT. DO NOT GET INVOLVED!” he reiterated in his Saturday remarks.
Mouaz Moustafa, a prominent Syrian opposition figure based in Washington, interrupted a news briefing to share Trump’s message and appeared visibly moved. He remarked that Trump’s stance of non-involvement could be the most favorable outcome for Syrians opposed to Assad.
As rebels continue to liberate political prisoners from Assad’s regime, Moustafa assured reporters that the opposition would remain vigilant for any U.S. nationals among the prisoners and would endeavor to safeguard them.
This vigilance particularly extends to Austin Tice, an American journalist who has been missing for over ten years and is believed to be detained by Assad’s forces.
