President Biden addresses the nation on the dramatic situation in Syria.
Scott Detrow, host:
Here in the United States, President Biden spoke about this historic moment.
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President Joe Biden: The Assad regime has finally fallen.
DETROW: In a speech from the White House, Biden took some credit for the fall of Assad’s dictatorship. He spoke of the risks as well as the opportunities for those suffering in Syria, and said the United States should remain engaged to support regional partners. Indeed, around the same time as Biden’s remarks, the United States confirmed a series of missile attacks targeting Islamic State camps and operatives in Syria. “We will not allow ISIS to regroup and take advantage of the current situation in Syria,” the U.S. government said in a statement. However, Biden will leave office in about a month. And President-elect Donald Trump said this is not America’s fight. NPR White House correspondent Franco Ordonez is here to talk candidly about it all. Hi Franco.
FRANCO ORDOÑEZ, BYLINE: Hi, Scott.
DETROW: So Biden took some credit. How exactly did he portray the role of the United States?
Ordoez: Yeah. So for the first time, he said, Assad cannot count on the support of Russia, Iran or Hezbollah, which remain weakened. And he said both countries were weakened by US support for Ukraine in its fight against Russia and US support for Israel in its fight against Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon.
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BIDEN: This is a moment of historic opportunity for the long-suffering people of Syria to build a better future for their proud country. It is also a moment of risk and uncertainty.
Mr. Ordoez: Mr. Biden referred to U.S. sanctions against Syria and said that U.S. troops remain in the country, particularly to counter threats from extremists like the Islamic State.
DETROW: So Biden is talking about risk and uncertainty. What does that mean exactly, and what happens next from the White House’s perspective?
ORDOÑEZ: Well, the White House insists that Syria’s future will be written by Syrians. But Biden said the U.S. remains engaged and working with the United Nations and regional partners, including Iraq, Jordan and Israel. The United States is concerned that Islamic State will take advantage of the situation to seize control. Biden says he won’t allow that to happen. Biden also told reporters that he believes American journalist Austin Tice, who has been missing in Syria for 12 years, is alive and can be recovered.
DETROW: Of course, Biden won’t last long. He’s only going to be president for another month, that’s about it. What about President-elect Trump? That’s because President Trump has made it clear, dating back to his first administration, that he doesn’t actually believe the United States is being held in Syria. He’s very skeptical about that.
Ordoez: Yeah, I know he’s not. I mean, he made that point very clear over the weekend, warning that the United States should not be involved in this. He wrote in big capital letters on social media: This is not our fight. Let’s play. However, these are turbulent times. And this is just one example of the global challenges Trump will inherit. In other words, he promises to bring peace through power. You know, it’s really going to be tested.
DETROW: Okay, Franco, let’s think about Trump a little more broadly. He was interviewed today on “Meet The Press.” He talked a lot about his priorities. What did you hear?
Ordoez: Yeah. In many ways, it sounded like a campaign speech on issues like immigration and the economy. He promised to abolish birthright citizenship, explicitly enshrined in the Constitution. He also spoke of amnesty for many of the January 6 rioters. You know, he’s said he’s going to focus on people who committed crimes, but he’s not going to reverse the mass deportation of people who are here illegally. However, he said his family could also be deported. I mean, he talked about deporting families, including documented families and undocumented children, if they wanted to stay together. You know, of course, the Trump administration basically saying that in 2018 and the reality of ultimately dealing with thousands of children being separated from their parents, as happened in the first Trump administration. There is a big difference between. Of course, following public backlash, Trump reversed course.
DETROW: NPR White House correspondent Franco Ordonez. Franco, thank you as always.
Ordoez: Thank you, Scott.
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