President Trump tweeted Monday that the U.S. is set to withdraw its military forces from Syria "at a proper pace," while criticizing what he branded as a "knowingly ... very inaccurate" New York Times story about the timeline for a withdrawal.
"The Failing New York Times has knowingly written a very inaccurate story on my intentions on Syria. No different from my original statements, we will be leaving at a proper pace while at the same time continuing to fight ISIS and doing all else that is prudent and necessary!"
Reality check: The Times story is based on public comments that Trump's national security adviser John Bolton made during a weekend visit to Israel. Bolton stated that the U.S. could not withdraw from Syria without assurances from Turkey that it would not attack America's Kurdish allies there, suggesting a full withdrawal could ultimately take months or years. Trump originally said last month that all U.S. forces would leave Syria within 30 days — prompting worries from international partners and political allies — before agreeing to a slower timetable.
