Donald Trump intends to withdraw US troops from northern Syria to prevent them becoming “cannon fodder” in potential Turkish-Kurdish conflicts, according to revelations by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. during a Tucker Carlson interview.
Kennedy, expected to play a key role in Trump’s administration, said that during a recent flight, Trump had sketched a map of the Middle East, highlighting 500 US troops positioned along the Syria-Turkey border at a vulnerable outpost that had recently faced attacks. He quoted Trump’s direct command: “Get them out!”
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Friday that he had urged Trump to end American support for the People’s Protection Units (YPG), the primary component of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). “Turkey’s efforts to penetrate Syria and Iraq to target terrorists and eradicate threats at their source will persist relentlessly,” he said.
Former US Special Representative for Syria James Jeffrey warned on 9 November that a withdrawal would empower America’s adversaries. “Such a move could have serious consequences,” he said, adding that it would be a “serious mistake, as it would empower Iran and Assad, creating a vacuum that could disadvantage our various partners, including Turkey”.
Syrian Democratic Council Co-President Ilham Ahmed stressed during her German visit that the US presence remains crucial for regional stability. In a 31 October interview with Der Spiegel, she warned that withdrawal would lead to immediate chaos in northeast Syria.
Turkey has conducted multiple operations against SDF-controlled areas, maintaining strikes through Turkish troops stationed in northern and eastern Syria, supported by Turkish-backed Syrian National Army factions.
This plan mirrors Trump’s December withdrawal announcement of 2018 citing the defeat of ISIS, which prompted the resignation of the then Defense Secretary James Mattis, before the decision was postponed.
