Former President Barack Obama’s National Security Council spokesman admitted President Trump “was handed a mess” with Syria, but added Trump still hasn’t curbed the brutality of Syrian President Bashar Assad’s regime.
Tommy Vietor tweeted in 2013 that “remarkable” progress had been made toward eliminating Syria’s chemical weapons. In a new tweet, Vietor said Republicans were “resurfacing” his tweet “like it’s a gotcha,” but also admitted Obama didn’t leave Syria in a stable condition for Trump.
“Shipping out 1300 metric tons of weapons-grade chemicals was a major development. Obviously they didn’t get it all. Chlorine wasn’t covered. Trump was handed a mess but also hasn’t deterred Assad,” Vietor added.
Republicans and a very dumb columnist are resurfacing this tweet like it’s a gotcha. Shipping out 1300 metric tons of weapons-grade chemicals was a major development. Obviously they didn’t get it all. Chlorine wasn’t covered. Trump was handed a mess but also hasn’t deterred Assad
— Tommy Vietor (@TVietor08) April 8, 2018
Vietor’s tweet followed what officials believe was a poison gas attack near Damascus, Syria, on Saturday, which claimed the lives of 40 people and injured 500 more. The U.S. suspects the Syrian government to be behind the incident.
Trump announced Monday his administration would decide how to respond within the next two days.
“If it’s the Russians, if it’s Syria, if it’s Iran, if it’s all of them together, we’ll figure it out,” Trump said, calling the attack “atrocious.”
Vietor, who served Obama from 2004 to 2013, is now a co-host of the Pod Save America podcast.
