REUTERS/Jim Young
In his now-clockwork early-morning tweetstorm, Donald Trump lauded his own surprise-to-the-military actions on removing U.S. troops from Syria, suggesting that he be dubbed a “national hero” for taking on ISIS in his fashion. “If anybody but Donald Trump did what I did in Syria, which was an ISIS loaded mess when I became President, they would be a national hero,” Trump wrote. “ISIS is mostly gone, we’re slowly sending our troops back home to be with their families, while at the same time fighting ISIS remnants.” He added: “I campaigned on getting out of Syria and other places. Now when I start getting out the Fake News Media, or some failed Generals who were unable to do the job before I arrived, like to complain about me & my tactics, which are working. Just doing what I said I was going to do!” Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) had announced hours earlier that Trump had agreed to a “pause situation” and would slow down the apparent sudden removal of U.S. troops from Syria. Commanders reportedly emphasized to Trump when he met with troops in Iraq last week that ISIS had not been “completely destroyed” as the president had earlier claimed.
Separately, Trump introduced the concept of a “see-through” wall along the southern U.S. border with Mexico—as opposed to a concrete one. “An all concrete Wall was NEVER ABANDONED, as has been reported by the media,” Trump said. “Some areas will be all concrete but the experts at Border Patrol prefer a Wall that is see through (thereby making it possible to see what is happening on both sides). Makes sense to me!” The federal government’s shutdown over the matter has entered its 10th day.