Fox & Friends Host Calls Trump Abandoning Kurds in Syria a 'Disaster'

Fox & Friends host Brian Kilmeade aired his grievances Monday about President Donald Trump pulling back U.S. troops from Syria alongside Kurdish-led fighters, saying America is "abandoning" its allies.

Kilmeade argued with fellow Monday morning Fox News crew co-hosts Steve Doocy and Ainsley Earhardt over the "disaster" announcement that Pentagon officials said "completely blindsided" them Sunday night. Trump ordered hundreds of U.S. troops to be pulled out of the region in a move many top Republicans are labeling a "betrayal" of the Kurds who have long helped the U.S. fight Islamic State militants.

Kilmeade questioned why the president would "abandon our allies" and what kind of message that sends to any future forces who may consider supporting American troops.

Doocy argued Trump is merely following through on campaign promises to end all foreign wars.

"What a disaster, I mean the president's statement through Stephanie Grisham is 'we defeated the caliphate, the caliphate is destroyed,' we would not have done that without the Kurds, who did all of our fighting while our guys, the reason our casualties were so low is because Kurds did all the fighting," Kilmeade said on Fox & Friends Monday.

"Now, we're saying 'okay Turks, go wipe them out or force them out,' what kind of message is that to the next ally that wants to side with us?" Kilmeade continued. "Meanwhile, we're taking Sunni prisoners and giving them to Sunni Turkey who has been nothing but irresponsible although technically a 'NATO ally.' A disastrous series of events I hope the president will rethink this."

Doocy then chimed in, "I think the president is doing exactly what he wants to because he's made from the get-go very clear his campaign promise to end wars in other countries."

"To release ISIS fighters? And abandon our allies? That's a campaign promise? Abandon the people who got the caliphate destroyed," Kilmeade interjected.

Joining the hosts on Fox & Friends Monday morning, South Carolina GOP Senator Lindsey Graham said leaving the Kurds alone in Syria is an "impulsive decision" by the president.

"I don't know all the details regarding President Trump's decision in northern Syria. In process of setting up phone call with Secretary [Mike] Pompeo. If press reports are accurate, this is a disaster in the making," he later tweeted Monday morning.

Trump also tweeted about the issue on Monday, writing in a series of tweets:

"The United States was supposed to be in Syria for 30 days, that was many years ago. We stayed and got deeper and deeper into battle with no aim in sight. When I arrived in Washington, ISIS was running rampant in the area. We quickly defeated 100% of the ISIS Caliphate, including capturing thousands of ISIS fighters, mostly from Europe," Trump wrote. "But Europe did not want them back, they said you keep them USA! I said 'NO, we did you a great favor and now you want us to hold them in U.S. prisons at tremendous cost. They are yours for trials.' They again said 'NO,' thinking, as usual, that the U.S. is always the 'sucker,' on NATO, on Trade, on everything. The Kurds fought with us, but were paid massive amounts of money and equipment to do so. They have been fighting Turkey for decades. I held off this fight for almost 3 years, but it is time for us to get out of these ridiculous Endless Wars, many of them tribal, and bring our soldiers home. WE WILL FIGHT WHERE IT IS TO OUR BENEFIT, AND ONLY FIGHT TO WIN. Turkey, Europe, Syria, Iran, Iraq, Russia and the Kurds will now have to figure the situation out, and what they want to do with the captured ISIS fighters in their 'neighborhood.' They all hate ISIS, have been enemies for years. We are 7000 miles away and will crush ISIS again if they come anywhere near us!"