Trump blames gas attack on Obama’s ‘weakness’ in Syria

In 2013, a Syrian chemical weapons attack prompted President Obama to draw a “red line,” which he later flouted by seeking congressional approval for military intervention. Trump’s response at the time? The U.S. should “stay out of Syria.”

President Donald Trump blamed former United States President Barack Obama on Tuesday for “weakness” that he said led to a reprehensible chemical weapons attack by Syria’s government, while his secretary of state said Russia and Iran bore moral responsible for the deaths.

However, he also made clear that his administration believed the attack occurred thanks to the actions of the President’s predecessor, Barack Obama

“These heinous actions by the Bashar al-Assad regime are a consequence of the past administration’s weakness and irresolution,” Mr Trump said.

“President Obama said in 2012 that he would establish a ‘red line’ against the use of chemical weapons and then did nothing.”

White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer earlier declined to say what the Trump administration would do about the attack but added that the President had spoken on Tuesday with his national security team about the issue.

The head of the health authority in rebel-held Idlib said more than 100 people had been killed and 400 wounded. The Union of Medical Care Organisations, a coalition of international aid agencies that funds hospitals in Syria, said at least 100 people had died.