On Wednesday, the Washington Postreported that White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney is planning to undertake a behind-the-scenes "charm offensive" over the next few weeks to try to reassure President Donald Trump's GOP allies in Congress in the wake of his disastrous announcement that troops will be withdrawn from northern Syria.
The decision, which has already emboldened Turkish forces to begin bombing raids on the region and go after the Kurdish fighters who were allied with the United States, has been sharply criticized on both sides of the aisle, including by critical Trump applies like Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC).
Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY), another firm supporter of the president, has likewise expressed her horror, stating, "President Trump’s decision to withdraw U.S. forces from northern Syria is having sickening and predictable consequences."
Even Trump himself appears to have realized that his move was a mistake, as he has proclaimed that Turkey will be "destroyed" economically if in his "great and unmatched wisdom" their forces do anything bad.
It remains to be seen whether Mulvaney's efforts can repair the divide.