Two leading members of President Donald Trump’s national security team, Secretary of Defense James Mattis and National Security Adviser John Bolton, cannot agree on a military response to the alleged use of chemical weapons in Syria.
Just Security deputy managing editor tweeted, citing two sources with internal knowledge, Mattis and other Pentagon officials have been trying to keep Trump and Bolton from escalating America’s military involvement in the region.
Mattis said Thursday before the House Armed Services Committee that "We are trying to stop the murder of innocent people. But on a strategic level, it's how do we keep this from escalating out of control, if you get my drift on that," according to CNN.
Trump said that same day from the Cabinet Room, "We're looking very, very seriously, very closely, at that whole situation. We have to make some further decisions. So they'll be made fairly soon."
CNN reports that Bolton, who recently joined the administration, has been sitting in on Syria meetings, including one in the Oval Office with White House Chief of Staff John Kelly while Trump was on the phone with UK Prime Minister Theresa May. In these meetings, Bolton has reportedly advised Trump to pursue a more robust military response.
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