Trump Avoids Condemning Israeli Airstrike in Syria, Cites Briefing Needs

On August 26, 2026, U.S. President Donald Trump refrained from explicitly condemning an Israeli airstrike in Syria during a conversation with Israel's Channel 12 news. When asked about the attack, Trump said, "Brief me on it. I don't want to talk about it," and shifted the discussion to Iran.

A senior American official revealed that Israel had informed Washington about intelligence indicating Turkey's plan to deploy weapons at a Syrian airbase. Despite initial critical remarks from U.S. envoy Tom Brake and frustration within the White House over Prime Minister Netanyahu's policies, U.S. officials consider the Israeli intelligence accurate. The U.S. would have preferred resolving the issue with Turkey and Syria without military action but ultimately viewed Israel's strike as justified.

The official also criticized Israel's recent conduct in Syria, noting that despite a January agreement between Israel, Syria, and the U.S. to maintain a military status quo and establish a joint operations center in Jordan to prevent escalation, Israel avoided activating this center and increased its military raids in southern Syria. These actions angered Damascus, but the Trump administration urged Syria to exercise restraint, emphasizing that the issue would be easier to address after Israel's elections.

The U.S. State Department told Channel 12 that Washington continues to believe restraint and dialogue are the best paths forward between Syria and Israel. It praised President Trump's leadership in fostering discussions focused on respecting Syria's sovereignty, supporting Israel's right to self-defense, and promoting stability and prosperity for both nations. The U.S. remains engaged with Israel, Turkey, and Syria on this matter.