President Donald Trump on Wednesday defended his decision to abandon the Kurds to a Turkish military incursion in Syria by saying they didn't help the US during World War II.
This came amid reports that Turkish ground troops were crossing the border into Syria after air strikes that began earlier in the day.
"They didn't help us in the Second World War; they didn't help us with Normandy," Trump said of the Kurds. He added, "With all of that being said, we like the Kurds."
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Ahead of the Trump administration's announcement, Kurdish forces had recently dismantled defensive positions along the Turkey-Syria border under assurances from the US it would not allow a Turkish assault. The SDF described Trump's decision to withdraw troops as a "stab in the back" and made clear it felt betrayed by the US.
Shortly after his reference to WWII on Wednesday, when he was asked by reporters whether he felt the Syria retreat and treatment of the Kurds sent a poor message to other potential US allies, Trump said, "Alliances are very easy." The president said it "won't be" hard for the US to form new partnerships.
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