Analysis: At a crucial moment, analysts say, the president's indecision emboldened Iran and left American allies uncertain.
, from Iran hawks and doves, and from a host of national security experts who asserted that it demonstrated weakness at a critical moment. And it left the world wondering whether Trump, who has so often questioned the leadership abilities of past presidents and candidates for his job, can handle a real crisis.
But the most stinging rebukes didn't come from former Obama officials or the field of Democratic presidential hopefuls who hope to oust Trump from office. Even some of the president's political friends on Capitol Hill suggested he had choked in the clutch. In a series of tweets defending his decision Friday morning, Trump framed it as a minor hiccup in a policy designed to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
"We're charting a path to stability and peace in the Middle East, because great nations do not want to fight endless wars," he said Tuesday night at a rally officially kicking off his 2020 campaign in Orlando."They've been going on forever. Starting to remove a lot of troops. We're finally putting America first.""I have strongly encouraged Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., sounded a similar note of support — with an addendum.
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