Trump and Democrats face off on Syria after U.S. House vote
On a day when President Donald Trump tried to minimize the crisis in northern syria
(NATSOUND)(English) U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP SAYING: "This has nothing to do with us.."
The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday issued a rare, bipartisan, and overwhelming rebuke to the president over his decision to pull American forces from Syria and pave the way for a Turkish military assault against U.S. Kurdish allies.
The bill passed with 354 votes in favor to just 60 against, with dozens of Republicans joining Democrats to condemn the president's pullout.
That led to a heated face-to-face meeting a short time later between Democratic leaders and the Republican President.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. DEMOCRATIC HOUSE SPEAKER NANCY PELOSI, SAYING: "More than 2 to 1 of the Republicans voted to oppose what the president did, probably got to the president because he was shaken up by it. And that's why we couldn't continue in the meeting because he was just not relating to the reality of it."
And it wasn't just democrats pushing back on the president -
Majority leader Mitch McConnell on Wednesday said he thought the decision to pull troops from Syria was a mistake.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. SENATE MAJORITY LEADER MITCH MCCONNELL SAYING: "I've told him certainly personally and publically I disagree with the decision."
The Syria crisis has stoked divisions between Trump and some of his staunchest defenders in his own party.
(UPSOUND) (English) REPRESENTATIVE LINDSEY GRAHAM (R-SOUTH CAROLINA) SAYING: "To President Trump, it's now time for you to act like Ronald Reagan, not Obama."
Republican Senator Lindsey Graham warned pulling U.S. troops from Syria would lead to a resurgence of Islamic State, and said that if ISIS terrorists killed Americans their blood would be on Trump's hands.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) REPRESENTATIVE LINDSEY GRAHAM (R-SOUTH CAROLINA) SAYING: "This is a defining moment of Trump's presidency. If we abandon the Kurds it will be to our shame and to our national security detriment and Trump will own the reemergence of ISIS."
Trump dismissed Graham's criticisms at a news conference Wednesday.
(SOUNDBITE)(English) U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP SAYING: "Lindsey Graham would like to stay in the Middle East for the next thousand years with thousands of soldiers and fighting other people's wars. I want to get out of the Middle East. I think Lindsey should focus right now on judiciary."
Graham fired back on Twitter writing..."when it comes to america"s national security i will never be quiet".
