Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) praised President Trump’s attempts to ease tensions with the newly established Syrian government, describing the approach as both familiar and risky.
He mentioned that the Saudi Crown Prince and the Turkish president had urged Trump to give the Syrian government a chance, to which he responded, “certainly.”
Gingrich, a veteran Republican figure, observed that it had taken several months for previous administrations to arrive at a similar conclusion. He noted he had engaged “so-called experts” to advise caution while they gradually came to the same viewpoint.
“Trump is aware he’s taking a gamble. He knows the leader he’s dealing with is a terrorist—he’s still on the terrorism list—and he understands it’s a risky move. This has also been communicated to Turkey and Saudi Arabia,” he said.
On Wednesday, Trump met with Ahmad Alshara, the interim Syrian president, and revealed plans to reduce sanctions in Syria at the prompting of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The sanctions had been imposed on Bashar Assad’s regime during a brutal civil war, which saw the Assad government ousted by Syrian rebels late last year.
Trump jokingly remarked on Monday, “Yeah, what am I doing for the Crown Prince? The sanctions were severe and played a significant role…but now is [Syria’s] time to shine.”
Gingrich characterized Trump’s actions in Syria as strategically impressive, suggesting they would further alienate Iran and Russia, both supporters of the Syrian government during the conflict.
“We also understand that Syria, which now has ties to the US, is moving away from Iran, as Syria was its last major ally,” Gingrich continued. “This action will enhance relationships between Saudi Arabia and Turkey, isolate Iran, and diminish Russia’s presence in the region.”
He credited this strategy to Trump’s instinctive decision-making. “It’s remarkable because I believe this will be a swift action—typical of how Trump operates. He trusts his instincts more than the so-called experts, who haven’t had much success in the Middle East,” he concluded.
