Shaheen Statement on President Trump’s Decision to Withdraw Troops from Syria

(Washington, DC) — U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), a member of the Armed Services Committee and the only woman serving on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement in response to the President’s decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria.

“The President’s decision to withdraw troops from Syria is dangerous, premature and wholly inconsistent with the facts on the ground in Syria and our military’s advice,” said Shaheen. “I have traveled to Syria and know firsthand that our military has performed well beyond expectations. I am very concerned that an ill-informed and hasty withdrawal of troops will not only breathe new life into ISIS and other terrorist groups, but it will also cede America’s hard-fought gains in the region to Russia, Iran and Assad. I would urge President Trump to speak to his military and diplomatic advisors before implementing this short-sighted decision. Ultimately, the President must understand that U.S. leadership is essential to completely defeating ISIS and bringing an end to the horrific violence in Syria, which has put enormous pressure on our allies.”

Senator Shaheen visited Syria in July during a bipartisan congressional delegation with Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), meeting with military personnel to view the gains made by U.S. security forces and their partners, and the need for a comprehensive strategy to end the violence in the region and provide stabilization support. Shaheen’s legislation establishing a Syria Study Group to recommend additional ways forward to address the Syrian conflict was signed into law in October as part of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reauthorization. Shaheen’s provision will establish a bipartisan panel to complete a comprehensive strategic review of America’s policy in Syria.