Trump's Syria 'success' is fool's gold

Why the president will consider his strike on Syria a success — even though it will accomplish nothing

President Trump.
(Image credit: Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

After he decided to launch missiles at a Syrian military base, President Trump had a serious concern. "He asked about reaction from the world community as well as congressional leaders," White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer told the press the next day, "and was informed that there was fairly unanimous praise for the decision and the actions the president took." Spicer later added that foreign leaders "almost universally" praised "the president's decisive action," then returned to the point to note that the strike "has been widely praised throughout the globe."

Never have we seen a president who so craved praise and validation. And on this occasion, he's getting it. Which is why no matter what happens, President Trump will believe that his first major military decision was an absolutely yuge success.

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Paul Waldman

Paul Waldman is a senior writer with The American Prospect magazine and a blogger for The Washington Post. His writing has appeared in dozens of newspapers, magazines, and web sites, and he is the author or co-author of four books on media and politics.