President Donald Trump on Wednesday morning suggested that the U.S. plans to strike Syria in retaliation for what world leaders suspect was a chemical attack on the Syrian people over the weekend.
On Wednesday, the Russian ambassador to Lebanon reportedly warned that Russia would shoot down any missile launched at Syria and would target the launching area, according to the Associated Press. Trump responded to those warnings via Twitter, telling Russia to “get ready” because an attack with “nice and new and ‘smart!’” missiles was imminent.
“You shouldn’t be partners with a Gas Killing Animal who kills his people and enjoys it!” he said, referencing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Russia vows to shoot down any and all missiles fired at Syria. Get ready Russia, because they will be coming, nice and new and “smart!” You shouldn’t be partners with a Gas Killing Animal who kills his people and enjoys it!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 11, 2018
Trump also lamented that the U.S.’s relationship with Russia is “worse now than it has ever been, and that includes the Cold War.” He claimed there was “no reason for this.”
Our relationship with Russia is worse now than it has ever been, and that includes the Cold War. There is no reason for this. Russia needs us to help with their economy, something that would be very easy to do, and we need all nations to work together. Stop the arms race?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 11, 2018
While Russia and Syria have denied the suspected chemical weapon attack that killed at least 40 people in a rebel-held town near Damascus, the United Nations health agency on Wednesday said it had received reports from its partners in Syria that said at least 500 of the patients showed signs of exposure to toxic chemicals, according to the AP. The report did not confirm outright that a chemical weapons attack had taken place.
Trump’s tweet confirms reports that the U.S. is at least mulling retaliating against Syria. According to the AP, the U.S., France and Britain are in extensive conversations about launching a strike as early as the end of the week, likely launching from France as the French president doesn’t need parliamentary approval to launch a military strike. The three countries are considering a military option that would be more damaging than just one retalitatory strike, according to an official who spoke with the AP.
