Withdraws troops from Syria, abandoning Kurdish allies

Following a phone call with Turkish President Erdoğan, Trump abruptly withdrew U.S. troops from northern Syria, endorsing Turkey's plan to invade the region. The decision abandoned Kurdish forces who had fought alongside the U.S. against ISIS, losing more than 11,000 fighters in the effort. The withdrawal was widely condemned as a betrayal across the political spectrum. Republican Senator Mitt Romney called it "a betrayal" that facilitates ISIS's comeback. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called it "a sickening betrayal." Fleeing Kurds pelted departing American convoys with rotten vegetables and stones. Even Trump's ally Senator Lindsey Graham delivered a scorching criticism of the decision.