“I’m not siding with anybody,” Trump says of Syria withdrawal

President Trump didn’t let intense Republican criticism of his decision to withdraw troops from northern Syria ruffle him Monday, insisting he made the right call in leaving the unstable region to Turkey.

Experts and the president’s own allies fear the decision to withdraw from the region will endanger Kurdish allies there, with Turkey threatening to overwhelm them. Mr. Trump, asked why he’s siding with Turkish strongman President Erdogan over Kurdish allies, insisted he’s not siding with anyone — other than with his campaigned-on principle of “America first.”

“I’m not siding with anybody. We’ve been in Syria for many years. You know, Syria was supposed to be a short-term hit,” the president insisted during a Roosevelt Room signing of two trade agreements with Japan.

The president said he’s leaving the region in the hands of Turkey, Russia, Iran, Iraq and Syria — which is exactly what allies fear. Mr. Trump explained that he campaigned on pulling the U.S. out of needless wars in the Middle East, and noted that the worst part of his job is writing to families of American soldiers who died.

“It’s the hardest thing I have to do in this job. I hate it. I hate it,” he said.

But moments after lamenting the deaths of American soldiers, the president noted how he campaigned on pulling America from endless wars, insisted he’s polling well for the 2020 presidential race, and bashed Democratic House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff for moving forward with an impeachment inquiry.

The Trump administration signed two trade agreements with Japan on Monday — the U.S.-Japan Trade Agreement and the U.S.-Japan Digital Trade Agreement.