US President-elect Donald Trump described this fall by Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad as an “unfriendly takeover” by Turkey, which had allied with several opposition groups that led the lightning offensive on Damascus.
Trump made the comments – apparently in praise of Ankara – during a wide-ranging press conference on Monday at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. His comments offered a glimpse into his foreign and domestic policies weeks before he returns to the White House on January 20.
“I think Turkey is very smart…Turkey carried out an unfriendly takeover without many people losing their lives. I can say that Assad was a butcher for what he did to children,” Trump said, referring to the Dec. 8 overthrow of the longtime Syrian leader.
Al-Assad’s forced withdrawal followed a surprise offensive across the country by rebel groups led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had long spoken out against al-Assad’s rule and supported the opposition group Syrian National Army (SNA), based in northwest Syria.
Trump had previously commented on the conflict, saying it was “not our fight.”
During his first term, he had sought to withdraw about 900 U.S. troops stationed in Syria in an advisory role for the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a U.S.-backed opposition group, but refrained from pressure from allies concerned about the resurgence of ISIS were worried (ISIS).
Trump demurred on Monday when asked whether he would withdraw U.S. forces.
He said that “no one knows” what the future holds for Syria, which has been at war since 2011.
However, he added that in his opinion, “Turkey will hold the key to the nation.”
Ankara has largely supported the opposition’s offensive, but the full extent of its support for groups like HTS remained unclear. The SNA has continued to fight against the predominantly Kurdish SDF since the fall of al-Assad.
Trump on Gaza
Turning to the Middle East, Trump also said he had “a very good conversation” with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying they discussed efforts to negotiate the release of prisoners held in Gaza before he took office.
Those talks have long been stalled, with critics accusing Netanyahu of blocking progress under the current administration of U.S. President Joe Biden.
“I warned that if these hostages are not home by this date, all hell will break loose,” Trump reiterated previous threat He expressed on social media the release of Israeli prisoners in Gaza in return for a ceasefire.
“It was more of a flashback than anything else,” Trump added of his conversation with Netanyahu.
He did not say when he spoke to the prime minister, but Netanyahu’s office said the two men spoke on Saturday.
Russia-Ukraine
To Russia’s invasion of UkraineTrump deflected when asked about conversations he may have had with Russian President Vladimir Putin since his election victory in November.
He later said he planned to speak with Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Trump has repeatedly promised to quickly end the war, but statements from his allies have raised concerns that he would pressure Ukraine to give up territory to Russia.
“We will talk to President Putin and we will talk to the representatives, Zelensky and representatives of Ukraine. We have to stop it. It’s carnage,” Trump said.
“It’s just rubble,” Trump said of the cities destroyed by the fighting. “Just like if I demolish a building in Manhattan, which is actually worse because we’re doing it one step at a time.”
On TikTok
Trump also commented on a looming federal ban on China residents TikTok social media platform. The US Congress passed a law in 2023 that said the popular social media platform must cut ties with its China-based parent company or be banned in the US by mid-January.
Without going into detail, Trump credited the platform, which is popular with young people and less politically engaged Americans, with helping him win the election. He said he would review the upcoming ban.
“We’re going to look at TikTok,” he said. “You know, I have a heart for TikTok.”
Drone sightings
On the domestic front, Trump addressed a number of issues Drone sightings have been reported in the eastern United States.
Federal law enforcement officials said most of the sightings were believed to be manned aircraft flying regular routes and there did not appear to be a threat to national security.
Trump called for more transparency.
“The government knows what’s happening,” Trump said. “For some reason they don’t want to comment. And I think it would be better if they said what our military knows and what our president knows.”
He added: “I can’t imagine it’s the enemy,” without elaborating.
Controversial health tip
Trump also took some time to defend his choice for health secretary, prominent vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
The political scion is meeting with lawmakers this week to shore up support for his appointment, which must be approved by the Senate.
Over the weekend, Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, who had polio as a child, spoke out in favor of the polio vaccine after a recent report revealed that one of Kennedy’s advisers had made a request Petition to revoke the approval of the polio vaccine in 2022.
Trump said he remains a “strong supporter” of the polio vaccine and will maintain access to it.
“You will not lose the polio vaccine,” he said. “That won’t happen.”
“He’s going to be a lot less radical than people think,” Trump said of Kennedy.
“I think he’s very open-minded, otherwise I wouldn’t have taken him there.”
