President-elect Donald Trump is gearing up for his second White House term just weeks after the sudden toppling of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria. This development could test Trump’s promises to end U.S. involvement in “forever wars” in the Middle East or placing more American boots on the ground in these countries.
Trump has not backed down on his promises to prioritize issues at home and avoid entanglements overseas, but his plans may be put to the test in Syria. The country’s current situation is vastly different from Trump’s first term, with a government seen as ripe for exploitation by other foreign powers or terrorist groups.
U.S. Army soldiers patrol in Manbij, Syria, in 2018. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Zoe Garbarino via AP)
“This is not our fight. Let it play out. Do not get involved,” Trump said on Truth Social over the weekend, as rebel-backed fighters advanced into Damascus, forcing Assad to flee to Moscow for safe haven.
Trump has acknowledged that the foreign policy situation he will inherit in 2025 may be more complex than he saw in his first term, especially in the Middle East. “The world is going a little crazy right now,” he told leaders earlier this week in Paris.
Trump’s current status in Syria is an “open question,” according to White House National Security communications advisor John Kirby, following the sudden collapse of the regime. The rebel-led group that ousted Assad is currently designated as a terrorist organization in the U.S., raising fresh uncertainty over whether Trump might see their rise to power as a threat to U.S. national security and whether he might move to position U.S. troops in response.
Rebel fighters stand near the Iranian embassy after Syrian rebels announced that they have ousted President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus, Syria. (REUTERS/Firas Makdesi)
The conditions are also ripe for exploitation by other governments and adversaries, which could seize on the many power vacuums created by the collapse of Assad’s regime. It’s unclear whether Trump will see the situation the same way as his administration, which has stressed that the U.S. will act only in a supporting capacity and will not likely impose a blueprint for the future of Syria.
Trump’s first term saw him announce the withdrawal of U.S. troops from northeastern Syria, which was met with sharp criticism from some diplomats and foreign policy analysts. However, the situation is different now, and Trump’s team does not appear to be disputing the need for a new approach.
Trump’s second presidential term is shaping up to be more detailed, efficient, and policy-oriented, with announced nominations for most Cabinet positions, policy blueprints for the next four years, and a focus on “America first” issues such as border security, job creation, and U.S. oil and gas production.