‘Never said WHEN an attack on Syria would take place’: Donald Trump softens his stance on airstrikes a day after he warned Putin ‘the missiles are coming’
Donald Trump tweeted that he had ‘never said when’ an airstrike on Syria would take place
Says attack ‘could be very soon or not so soon at all,’ pats himself on the back for ‘ridding the region of ISIS’
French president Macron says he has ‘proof’ Assad used toxic gas and will respond ‘at a time of our choosing’
Trump escalated Syria rhetoric on Wednesday, telling Russia to ‘get ready’ for missile strikes
Kremlin said a hotline with the U.S. designed to avoid accidental Syria clashes is in use by both sides
By JULIAN ROBINSON
DAILYMAIL.COM
12 April 2018
Donald Trump has appeared to soften his stance on airstrikes in Syria, tweeting Thursday morning that he ‘never said when’ an attack on the war-torn country would take place.
The president’s full message said: ‘Never said when an attack on Syria would take place. Could be very soon or not so soon at all! In any event, the United States, under my Administration, has done a great job of ridding the region of ISIS. Where is our “Thank you America?”‘
Tensions continue to build over the Syria crisis in the wake of Saturday’s horrifying chemical attack on a rebel-held town that left at least 40 dead and others gasping for air.
Trump dramatically escalated the rhetoric over the crisis yesterday by telling Russia to ‘get ready’ for military action, adding that ‘nice and new and smart’ cruise missiles ‘will be coming.’
He warned Russian leader Vladimir Putin not to partner with dictator Bashar al-Assad, who he described as a ‘gas killing animal.’
But Russia’s ambassador to Lebanon said his country was ready to target U.S. planes and ships if they fire at Syrian regime forces.
Defense Secretary James Mattis struck a more cautious tone later on Wednesday, saying that Washington was still assessing intelligence on the suspected toxic gas attack.
Trump repeatedly condemned his predecessor Barack Obama during the 2016 campaign for forecasting his military plans. During one speech, he said, ‘We must as a nation be more unpredictable. We are totally predictable. We tell everything.’
One of Trump’s allies, French President Emmanuel Macron, said this morning that he would respond to ‘proof’ that Assad’s regime had used chemical weapons, ‘at a time of our choosing.’
‘We have proof that … chemical weapons were used, at least chlorine, and that they were used by the regime of Bashar al-Assad,’ Macron said during an interview with France’s TF1 television.
‘France will in no way allow an escalation or anything that would harm regional stability, but we cannot allow regimes that believe they can act with impunity to violate international law in the worst possible way,’ he added.
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