Trump reportedly 'quickly capitulated' in Syria negotiations with Turkish president

Donald Trump.
(Image credit: Getty Images)

President Trump decided to withdraw troops from Syria "hastily" during a phone call last week with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, doing so without warning his advisers and in spite of "strong objections from virtually everyone involved," The Associated Press reports.

Erdogan during the call had reportedly pressed Trump about why the U.S. is still in Syria, and Trump, ignoring the talking points his advisers had prepared for him, "quickly capitulated" and said right there on the spot he would withdraw, leaving both Erdogan and National Security Adviser John Bolton stunned.

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Brendan Morrow

Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.