Dem senator: Trump saying he doesn’t know his top ISIS envoy ‘should scare the hell out of every American’

Authored by thehill.com and submitted by RationalAnon

Sen. Chris Murphy Christopher (Chris) Scott MurphyWHIP LIST: Who’s in and out in the 2020 race 'So stupid,' 'absurd' – Senate Dems condemn shutdown after talks falter Dems say Mattis's departure is 'scary' and 'bad news' MORE (D-Conn.) is expressing concerns after President Trump Donald John TrumpTrump defends foreign policy decisions amid personnel resignations Sunday shows preview: Washington heads into multi-day shutdown Lawmakers shrug off shutdown drama MORE tweeted that he did “not know” his top envoy in the fight against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), Brett McGurk.

“Uhhhh...you don’t know your own coordinator of the anti-ISIS campaign?” Murphy tweeted late Saturday. “Over the past 5 years, no one has done more to put ISIS on its heels than Brett. We all know and rely on him.”

“The fact that our President has no clue who Brett is should scare the hell out of every American.”

Uhhhh...you don’t know your own coordinator of the anti-ISIS campaign?

Over the past 5 years, no one has done more to put ISIS on its heels than Brett. We all know and rely on him. The fact that our President has no clue who Brett is should scare the hell out of every American. https://t.co/m7SNU1SA7z — Chris Murphy (@ChrisMurphyCT) December 22, 2018

McGurk abruptly resigned on Friday over disagreements with Trump’s decision to pull U.S. troops out of Syria.

Trump criticized McGurk as a “grandstander” over the departure, but said in a tweet that he did not know the official.

“Brett McGurk, who I do not know, was appointed by President Obama in 2015,” the president tweeted. “Was supposed to leave in February but he just resigned prior to leaving. Grandstander? The Fake News is making such a big deal about this nothing event!”

Brett McGurk, who I do not know, was appointed by President Obama in 2015. Was supposed to leave in February but he just resigned prior to leaving. Grandstander? The Fake News is making such a big deal about this nothing event! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 22, 2018

McGurk, who was reportedly planning to leave the administration in February, submitted his resignation soon after Defense Secretary James Mattis James Norman MattisTrump defends foreign policy decisions amid personnel resignations Erdogan promised Trump he'd finish off ISIS in Syria: report Trump cancels Mar-a-Lago Christmas trip over shutdown MORE announced his own resignation over differences with Trump on his Syria strategy.

Trump’s plan to withdraw the 2,000 troops currently in Syria has rattled Pentagon officials and lawmakers. McGurk had criticized the hypothetical move as “reckless.”

ZappaZoo on December 23rd, 2018 at 13:54 UTC »

It's been nearly two years and he still doesn't know the job. Not a clue. He just steamrolls ahead like someone who's never flown a plane taking to the cockpit and starts flipping switches, pushing levers, not a care in the world for consequences. Totally unfit.

gingerbeardy on December 23rd, 2018 at 13:50 UTC »

Remember when not knowing Aleppo was important enough to conservatives leaning away from Trump that they wouldn't even consider Gary Johnson?

Not knowing one of your most important people on the topic of ISIS after 2 years should be disqualifying.

wwabc on December 23rd, 2018 at 13:26 UTC »

and bragging about not knowing him in a tweet! how could Trump think that's a good thing?