Trump says longtime allies the Kurds are 'not angels,' says Turkey's invasion of Syria 'not our problem'

WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump, facing scathing bipartisan condemnation for clearing the way for Turkey's invasion of Syria, defended his handling of the matter on Wednesday as "strategically brilliant" and downplayed the importance of longtime allies the Kurds, saying they are "not angels."

“It’s not our problem,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office, hours before Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo are set to travel to Turkey to try to negotiate a ceasefire and avoid a humanitarian crisis.   

Trump dismissed mounting criticism on Capitol Hill and from other allies in the region while further downplaying the alliance with the Kurds, many of whom fought alongside U.S. troops against ISIS. The House is set to vote Wednesday on a bipartisan resolution condemning Trump's decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria.

The president's latest remarks came days after he appeared to diminish the U.S.-Kurd alliance by saying the group is "fighting for their land" and noting that the Kurds had not fought with Allied powers in World War II. 

"They're not angels," Trump said Wednesday. "Go back and take a look." 

Trump announced additional sanctions on Turkey on Monday, though critics have said those are less significant than the economic punishments lawmakers are considering. 

Pence and Pompeo are set to travel to Turkey late Wednesday to meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to try to negotiate a ceasefire. Erdogan initially indicated he wouldn’t meet with the U.S. delegation but now has expressed a willingness to do so.

Stabilizing force in Syria

Analysts have said the U.S. presence in northern Syria had stabilized the area, and made military conflict more likely; the post-withdrawal influx of Turkish and Russian troops makes it more dangerous. 

Mark Dubowitz, the chief executive of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, described the president's remarks as "yet another ignominious moment in Trump’s treatment of American allies."

But, Dubowitz said, this one is "particularly egregious given that the Kurds lost 11,000 men and women fighting ISIS and helping save American lives."

Anti-Trump Republican strategist Rick Tyler agreed. 

"Well, I hope they weren't angels, they were killing our enemies," Tyler said. "Trump has shown the world that he is a weak, easily manipulated, corrupt and disloyal. We will pay in treasure and blood tomorrow for his misguided ill-informed decisions today."

Contributing: Tom Vanden Brook, Maureen Groppe, Courtney Subramanian 

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump says longtime allies the Kurds are 'not angels,' says Turkey's invasion of Syria 'not our problem'