CNN’s Jake Tapper tweeted a challenge to President Donald Trump’s response to reports of chemical attacks in Syria on Sunday morning.
When Trump criticized the way former President Obama had handled a similar situation, Tapper dug up Trump’s own words from five years ago.
President Trump assailing President Obama this morning for not havng attacked Syria after Assad crossed the red line.
I wonder if President Trump took a public position on such an attack back in 2013? (1/3https://t.co/1icQxCYhcW
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) April 8, 2018
Oh, right. 2/3https://t.co/IShgWwCvte
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) April 8, 2018
Of course. 3/3https://t.co/OiCnCTNdEF
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) April 8, 2018
That was Trump’s view of Syria in 2013. And even during his 2016 presidential campaign, Trump indicated that he would oppose military intervention in Syria.
But since taking up residence in the White House, President Donald Trump appears to have changed his stance. When a similar chemical attack rocked Syria early in his presidency, Trump promised a big response and gave one.
Within two days of the attack that occurred almost a year ago, Trump stood before the world and called out Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. “My fellow Americans. Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad launched a horrible chemical weapons attack on innocent civilians. … It was a slow and brutal death for so many. Even beautiful babies were cruelly murdered in this very barbaric attack. No child of God should ever suffer such horror.”
Trump then ordered an airstrike, delivering a very clear message to a Syrian government target in the form of 59 Tomahawk missiles.
UN Ambassador Nikki Haley echoed the president’s sentiments in an impassioned speech before the General Assembly.
President Trump has promised that Assad will pay a “big price” for the latest chemical attack.