U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday threatened to "totally destroy and obliterate" the Turkish economy if Turkey took any action he considered "off-limits" following his decision to withdraw American forces from northeastern Syria.
"As I have stated strongly before, and just to reiterate, if Turkey does anything that I, in my great and unmatched wisdom, consider to be off limits, I will totally destroy and obliterate the Economy of Turkey (I've done before!)" Trump tweeted.
Trump stressed that Turkey and European nations would be responsible for a prison camp in northeastern Syria where thousands of Daesh fighters and families are held. "It is time now for others in the region, some of great wealth, to protect their own territory."
The president is facing pushback in Congress over his decision to withdraw US troops from the border area. The White House had announced that Turkey would move ahead with its "long-planned operation" in Syria and that the US would not be involved.
