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‘Assad is gone’ – Trump reacts to fall of Damascus

President-elect Donald Trump says rebels managed to overthrow Assad due to Russia abandoning Syrian government, attributes shift to Ukraine war and ‘Israel’s fighting success.’

By David Rosenberg, World Israel News

Former President and President-elect Donald Trump reacted Sunday to the fall of Damascus and the collapse of the Assad regime, claiming that the Russian military had abandoned the Syrian government, leading to a series of lighting fast victories by rebel forces over the course of just over a week.

Taking to the Truth Social media outlet Sunday morning, Trump suggested that Russian President Vladimir Putin had withdrawn support from Assad.

“Assad is gone,” Trump wrote. “He has fled his country. His protector, Russia, Russia, Russia, led by Vladimir Putin, was not interested in protecting him any longer. There was no reason for Russia to be there in the first place.”

Trump argued that the strain on Russia of the nearly three years of fighting against Ukraine, coupled with the relative weakness of Iran and its proxies following Israel’s “fighting success” had left Moscow unwilling or unable to prop up the Ba’athist regime in Damascus any longer.

“They lost all interest in Syria because of Ukraine, where close to 600,000 Russian soldiers lay wounded or dead, in a war that should never have started, and could go on forever.”

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“Russia and Iran are in a weakened state right now, one because of Ukraine and a bad economy, the other because of Israel and its fighting success.”

The incoming president suggested that the collapse of the Assad regime, signaling Russia’s weakness, marked an opportunity for Kyiv and Moscow to end the ongoing conflict.

“Likewise, Zelenskyy and Ukraine would like to make a deal and stop the madness. They have ridiculously lost 400,000 soldiers, and many more civilians.”

“There should be an immediate ceasefire and negotiations should begin. Too many lives are being so needlessly wasted, too many families destroyed, and if it keeps going, it can turn into something much bigger, and far worse. I know Vladimir well. This is his time to act. China can help. The World is waiting!”

In a tweet on Saturday, prior to the rebel takeover of Damascus, Trump said the U.S. “should have nothing to do with it,” regarding the Syrian civil war.

“This is not our fight. Let it play out. Do not get involved!”