Home / Foreign Policy

Syria

Timeline

2015.07.20Donald Trump claims if you're from Syria and a Christian, you can't come to the U.S. as a refugee. politifact.com (See also Immigration, False Statements, Muslim Immigration Ban, 2016 Campaign)
This is false - there is nothing in the US laws or regulations that discriminates against Christian refugees
2016.02.25Here is what would happen in Trump's first 100 days if he beats a Democratic nominee on November 9, 2016. theguardian.com (See also First 100 Days, Foreign Policy, Domestic Policy, Supreme Court, Vice-President, Guantánamo, Immigration, China, Mexico Wall, Mexico)
2016.10Donald Trump Jr. attends a meeting in Paris to discuss the Syrian conflict and possible U.S.–Russian cooperation in the region and was likely paid at least $50,000 for this appearance. wsj.com (See also Donald Trump Jr., Conflicts of Interest, Russia)
2016.11.11Trump is likely to end U.S. aid to rebels fighting against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government forces. nytimes.com
2016.11.16Syrian President Bashar al-Assad calls Trump a ‘natural ally’ in fighting terrorism nytimes.com
2016.11.23Donald Trump Jr. held talks on Syria with Russia supporters. wsj.com (See also Donald Trump Jr, Conflicts of Interest, Nepotism, Russia, Trump Relationship with Russia)
2017.01.16This is the full transcript of Donald Trump’s interview with Michael Gove and Kai Diekmann, former chief editor of the German newspaper Bild. thetimes.co.uk (See also First 100 Days, Germany, United Kingdom, Trade, Afghanistan, ISIS, Russia, NATO, Iran, Israel, Ireland, European Union, Mexico, China, Central Intelligence Agency, Mike Pompeo, Jared Kushner, Ivanka Trump, Muslim Immigration Ban, Muslim Registry)
2017.01.17Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says Moscow is ready to talk to Trump about nuclear weapons, Syria, and cooperating to solve global problems. reuters.com (See also Russia, Nuclear Weapons)
2017.01.24Trump expected to sign several executive orders restricting immigration from Syria and six other Middle Eastern or African countries on Wednesday January 25. reuters.com (See also First 100 Days, Immigration, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, Department of State, Department of Homeland Security, Jeff Sessions)
2017.01.25Trump is readying executive orders to stem refugees from ‘terror-prone’ regions and on the U.N. to halt funding for any organizations that give full membership to the Palestinian Authority, supports abortion programs or evades international sanctions against Iran or North Korea. washingtontimes.com (See also First 100 Days, Immigration, United Nations, Iran, North Korea)
2017.01.25Trump’s order will cut the number of refugees admitted to the U.S. in half nytimes.com (See also First 100 Days, Immigration, Immigrants)
2017.01.27Trump has calls scheduled with Russia's Putin, Germany's Merkel, and France's Hollande Saturday. Ukraine sanctions will likely be discussed. reuters.com (See also First 100 Days, Russia, Ukraine, Germany, France, European Union)
2017.01.28Trump’s claims that it is ‘very tough’ for Christian Syrians to get to the United States and relatively few Christians have been admitted as refugees from Syria, but that doesn't mean they have been subject to discrimination. washingtonpost.com (See also First 100 Days)
2017.01.29Trump’s Muslim travel bans will continue to be enforced by the The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), despite a New York judge placing a temporary stay on it being executed. independent.co.uk (See also First 100 Days, Department of Homeland Security, Muslim Immigration Ban, Iraq, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia, Yemen)
2017.02.24Russia vows to veto sanctions on Syria over chemical weapons, prompting a rebuke from U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley. uk.reuters.com (See also United Nations, Nikki Haley)
2017.03.16Trump orders the bombing of a Mosque in Syria, leaving at least 57 innocent people dead. bipartisanreport.com (See also ISIS, First 100 Days)
2017.03.29U.S. ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley says Syria's President Bashar al-Assad is a "big hindrance in trying to move forward" to find an end to the country's six-year conflict; "the U.S. and Russia could definitely talk." reuters.com (See also United Nations, Nikki Haley)
2017.03.30Nikki Haley and Rex Tillerson say the U.S. diplomatic policy on Syria is no longer focused on making the war-torn country's president, Bashar al-Assad, leave power. This puts the Trump administration at odds with European powers. reuters.com (See also United Nations, Nikki Haley, Rex Tillerson)
2017.04.04Sean Spicer blames Obama's weakness for the recent attacks where Assad used gas to kill dozens of civilians. He then goes on to refuse to answer questions about Russia's role in the bombing. rawstory.com (See also First 100 Days, Russia, Sean Spicer)
2017.04.05Following chemical weapons attack in Idilb, Syria, Nikki Haley suggests the U.S. will act in Syria if the U.N. does not. usun.state.gov (See also United Nations)
2017.04.0763 The steps leading to President Trump’s order to strike a Syrian airfield in response to a chemical weapons attack on civilians took 63 hours. nytimes.com
2017.04.07Trump launches military strike on a Syrian government airbase in response to a chemical weapons attack that killed dozens of civilians earlier in the week. cnn.com (See also First 100 Days)
2017.04.08Despite U.S. missile barrage, Syria continues airstrikes against rebels. washingtonpost.com
2017.04.09A joint command center made up of the forces of Russia, Iran and militias supporting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Sunday said the U.S. strike on a Syrian air base on Friday crossed "red lines." reuters.com (See also Russia, Iran)
2017.06.15The Senate voted overwhelmingly 97-2 to allow Congress to block any efforts by Trump to scale back sanctions against Russia, and to strengthen those sanctions in retaliation for Moscow’s alleged interference in the 2016 election and its actions in Syria. washingtonpost.com (See also Russian Meddling in Election, Trump Relationship with Russia, Russia)
2017.06.27The White House issued a statement Monday evening threatening to exact "a heavy price" in response to a potential chemical attack by the Syrian government, but senior national security officials were caught off guard and had no idea a statement was coming that threatened military action - a major step. nbcnews.com (See also Administration Errors, Department of State, Rex Tillerson, Nikki Haley)
2017.06.28The Trump administration is expected to announce how it will implement its modified travel ban, following the Supreme Court's decision lifting a stay on the executive order imposed by two lower courts, barring travelers from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen from entering the U.S. for 90 days. npr.org (See also Muslim Immigration Ban, Muslims, Foreign Policy, Iran, Legal Activity)
2017.07.10The US military has received no guidance on how to enforce the ceasefire now in place in southwest Syria, even as the Trump administration hails it as a success. buzzfeed.com (See also Administration Errors, Foreign Policy, Department of Defense, H.R. McMaster)
“You’d think we would be a part of it,” one US military official explained.
2017.07.14A federal court judge agreed once again to partially halt the ban of certain foreign nationals from six predominantly Muslim countries on a nationwide basis - a direct rebuke to the government's attempt to limit the close family members allowed in the US - allowing "grandparents, grandchildren, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and cousins of persons in the United States" to gain entry into the country. cnn.com (See also Legal Activity, Muslim Immigration Ban, Iran, Yemen, Supreme Court)
2017.07.19Trump has decided to end the CIA’s covert program to arm and train moderate Syrian rebels battling the government of Bashar al-Assad, a move long sought by Russia. washingtonpost.com (See also Russia, Trump Relationship with Russia)
2017.07.25Trump lashed out at The Washington Post in a string of tweets, saying the newspaper had “fabricated the facts” about his decision to end a covert program aiding Syrian rebels fighting the government of President Bashar al-Assad. washingtonpost.com (See also Attempts to Discredit Media)
This action, of course, acknowledges that there was a secret U.S. program to aid Syrian rebels.
2017.09.20Nicaragua will reportedly join the Paris climate accord, leaving the U.S. and Syria as the only two nations left refusing to support the landmark deal to fight global warming. bloomberg.com (See also Climate Change, Environment)
2017.10.17A federal judge largely blocked the Trump administration from implementing the latest version of their travel ban, which was set to bar various types of travelers from Syria, Libya, Iran, Yemen, Chad, Somalia, North Korea and Venezuela. washingtonpost.com (See also Legal Issues, Immigration, Muslim Immigration Ban, Iran, North Korea)
2017.11.07Syria announced that it would sign the Paris agreement on climate change which, coming on the heels of Nicaragua signing the accord last month, will leave the United States as the only country that has rejected the global pact. nytimes.com (See also Environment, Climate Change, Environmental Protection Agency)
2017.12.04A divided U.S. Supreme Court let Donald Trump’s travel ban take full effect while legal challenges go forward, allowing the US to bar or restrict entry by people from six mostly Muslim countries, even if they have a relationship with a U.S.-based person or institution. bloomberg.com (See also Muslim Immigration Ban, Muslims, Nationalism, Racism, Iran, Yemen, Supreme Court)
2017.12.11Despite the deaths of as many as half a million people in the Syrian civil war, the Trump Administration is now prepared to accept President Bashar al-Assad’s continued rule until Syria’s next scheduled Presidential election, in 2021, reversingrepeated U.S. statements that Assad must step down as part of a peace process. newyorker.com (See also Russia, Reversals, Foreign Policy, Rex Tillerson, Iran)
2018.04.04After asking for an immediate withdrawal from Syria, Donald Trump backed off after commanders told him they still needed time to complete their mission. nytimes.com (See also Reversals, Foreign Policy)
2018.04.11Donald Trump's tweet threatening a potential U.S. strike against Syria broke with national security procedures — as well as his own admonishments about tipping off enemies about attack plans. cnbc.com (See also Hypocrisy, Department of Defense, Unpresidential Behavior)