Trump defends Syria withdrawal amid widespread condemnation

US president threatens to ‘totally destroy and obliterate Turkey's economy’

Donald Trump
(Image credit: Alex Wong/Getty Images)

US President Donald Trump has threatened to “totally destroy” Turkey's economy if it does anything he considers “off limits” after his unexpected decision to pull US forces out of north-eastern Syria.

Trump has angrily defended his controversial withdrawal, which CNN says “threatens to wreck almost every goal the US has in the Middle East just now”. He took the decision to withdraw against the advice of senior officials in the Pentagon and state department.

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