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In a rare criticism of the president, Robertson says Trump may have lost "the mandate of heaven" over his pullout of U.S. troops from northern Syria.
Pat Robertson, one of many Christian right leaders who have supported the president, said Monday on The 700 Club that Trump may lose "the mandate of heaven" due to the consequences of his decision to pull U.S. troops out of northern Syria.
White House officials issued a statement late Sunday night that U.S. forces would leave the area because they have "defeated the ISIS territorial 'Caliphate.'" "The move marks a major shift in U.S. foreign policy and effectively gives Turkey the green light to attack U.S.-backed Kurdish forces," CNN reports.
Up until now, the U.S. had been trying to convince Turkey not to intervene in the region, although the two nations had been working together to set up a buffer zone. Turkey considers the Kurdish militia to be a terrorist group, but the U.S. supports the Kurds. U.S. officials said they don't support military action by Turkey, but the removal of American troops makes such action likely.
Robertson said the U.S. move will allow Kurds and Christians in the area to "be massacred by the Turks." He also denounced Trump over the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi last year by Saudi Arabian agents at that nation's consulate in Istanbul. Trump has stood by the Saudi royal family just the same, leading Robertson to say the president "allowed Khashoggi to be cut in pieces without any repercussions whatsoever."
"The president of the United States is in danger of losing the mandate of heaven," said Robertson, who had hosted Trump during the 2016 campaign at Regent University, the school the televangelist founded in Virginia.
Many internet commenters, of course, are posting that Trump never had the mandate of heaven. Watch a clip of Robertson below via Right Wing Watch, and see some reactions under it.
\u201cPat Robertson is "appalled" by Trump's decision to withdraw U.S. troops from northern Syria: "The President of the United States is in great danger of losing the mandate of Heaven if he permits this to happen."\u201d— Right Wing Watch (@Right Wing Watch) 1570469019
\u201cSo God cares more about the Kurds than corruption, tax fraud, and payoffs to porn stars? Good to know.\u201d— David Corn (@David Corn) 1570476650
\u201cPulling out of Syria.\nKurds will be slaughtered.\nLindsey Graham turns on him.\nPat Robertson says he\u2019ll \u201close Heaven.\u201d\nTax returns ordered released.\nSecond whistleblower emerges.\nHe has \u201cgreat and unmatched wisdom.\u201d\n\n... it\u2019s Monday.\u201d— Billy Baldwin (@Billy Baldwin) 1570478553
\u201cTrump's in danger of losin' his base of Apocalyptic wackadoodles.\n\nhttps://t.co/iCmRiSLk19\u201d— Tea Pain (@Tea Pain) 1570475421
\u201cSorry Pat Robertson, but Trump will never lose the mandate of the Republican Party just for letting the Turks slaughter Kurdish Christians in whatever secret quid pro quo he's got.\n\nHeaven? \n\nHe could care less. \n\nHe's got @JerryFalwellJr and the pool boy.\u201d— Grant Stern is boosted! (@Grant Stern is boosted!) 1570472177
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