President’s assertion undercuts US mission to Turkey aimed at urging Erdoğan to halt offensive
Donald Trump has hailed his decision to withdraw US troops in Syria, paving way for a Turkish offensive, as “strategically brilliant”, declaring that the Kurds he had abandoned were “much safer now” and were anyway “not angels”.
The president’s remarks contradicted the official assessment of both the state and defence departments that the Turkish offensive was a disaster for regional stability and the fight against Isis.
Read More Trump claims Kurds are 'much safer' as US troops leave Syria