Vows 'big damage' and 'very serious retaliation' after Syria attack kills 3 Americans

After an attack near Palmyra, Syria killed two U.S. Army soldiers and one American civilian interpreter, Trump vowed aggressive military retaliation. He stated "there will be a lot of big damage done to the people that did it" and promised "very serious retaliation," blaming ISIS for the deadly assault. The attack occurred in a dangerous area not fully controlled by the Syrian government, and Trump noted that Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa was "extremely angry and disturbed" by the incident. The inflammatory rhetoric escalated tensions in an already volatile region where the U.S.-led coalition has conducted operations against ISIS since 2014.

"There will be a lot of big damage done to the people that did it." — Statement about Syria attack that killed 2 U.S. soldiers and 1 civilian, December 13-14, 2025