Trump: ‘I Now Have Responsibility’ for Syria

‘I think the Obama administration had a great opportunity to solve this crisis a long time ago ‘

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President Trump said that after the Obama Administration failed to enforce its "red line" with Syria and chemical weapons, the crisis there is now his responsibility.

"I now have responsibility," Trump said Wednesday at a press conference with the Jordanian king. "And I will have that responsibility and carry it very proudly."

Transcript:

PACE: "Thank you, sir. Questions on Syria for both leaders but if I can start with you, Mr. President. You have condemned the chemical attacks in Syria but you also appeared in your statement yesterday to pin some of the blame on the Obama Administration. You are the president now. Do you feel like you bear responsibility for responding to the chemical attacks, and does the chemical attack crossed the red line for you?"
TRUMP: "I think the Obama Administration had a great opportunity to solve this crisis a long time ago when he said 'the red line in the sand.' And when he did not cross that line after making the threat, I think that set us back a long ways, not only in Syria but in many other parts of the world -- because it was a blank threat. I think it was something that was not one of our better days as a country. I do feel, Julie, I feel that very strongly."
PACE: "And the chemical attack?"
TRUMP: "I now have responsibility, and I will have that responsibility and carry it very proudly. I will tell you that. It is now my responsibility. It was a great opportunity missed. As you know, I will be meeting with the president of China very soon in Florida. That is another responsibility we have, and that is called the country of North Korea. We have a big problem. We have somebody that is not doing the right thing. That is going to be my responsibility. I will tell you, that responsibility could have been made a lot easier if it was handled years ago."
PACE: "Before I move onto the king, can I ask if the chemical attack crosses a red line for you?"
TRUMP: "It crossed a lot of lines for me. When you kill innocent children, innocent babies, babies, little babies with a chemical gas that is so lethal that people were shocked to hear what gas it was that crosses many, many lines beyond the red line, many, many lines. Thank you very much."

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