The New York Times reports:
President Trump said on Friday he had ordered strikes on Syrian targets, seeking to punish President Bashar al-Assad for a suspected chemical attack near Damascus that killed more than 40 people. Mr. Trump said Britain and France had joined the United States in the strikes.
The strikes risked pulling the United States deeper into the complex, multi-sided war in Syria from which Mr. Trump only last week said he wanted to withdraw. They also raised the possibility of confrontation with Russia and Iran, both of which have military forces in Syria to support Mr. Assad.
In choosing to strike, it appeared that Mr. Trump’s desire to punish Mr. Assad for what he called a “barbaric act” — and make good on his tweets promising action this week — outweighed his desire to limit the United States’ military involvement in the conflict, at least in the short term.
Today:
1. Trump hires new attorney, argues for temporary restraining order against his own DOJ in court
2. It's revealed that Trump's attorney, Michael Cohen, brokered another hush money deal for a top Trump fundraiser
3. Trump pardoned Scooter Libby
4. Trump bombs Syria
— Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) April 14, 2018
Since this morning:
1. Trump tweeted Comey is an "untruthful slime ball"
2. Trump tweeted "McCabe is Comey"
3. Broidy-Playboy-Cohen-RNC scandal
4. Trump pardoned Libby
5. Trump called Cohen to check in
6. Cohen was in Prague, which he'd denied
7. Trump starts war with Syria— David Halperin (@DaHalperin) April 14, 2018
#BREAKING: 'Several' explosions heard in east side of #Damascus, #Syria. Smoke seen rising. – @Reuters
— Strategic Sentinel (@StratSentinel) April 14, 2018
BREAKING: President Trump orders US forces to launch precision strikes on targets associated with chemical weapons in Syria https://t.co/g3KpgYzbUN pic.twitter.com/GJ9WF29abZ
— CNN (@CNN) April 14, 2018