US President Donald Trump ordered a slowdown of the pullout of US troops in Syria, revealed Republican Senator Lindsey Graham Sunday.
"I think we're in a pause situation," he said outside the White House after lunch with the president.
Trump abruptly announced earlier this month that he was ordering the withdrawal of all the roughly 2,000 troops from war-torn Syria, with aides expecting it to take place swiftly. The president had declared victory over the ISIS terrorist group in Syria, though pockets of fighting remain.
The decision was roundly criticized by his national security advisers and Democratic and Republican lawmakers. It prompted Defense Secretary Jim Mattis to step down.
Graham had been an outspoken critic of Trump's decision. The announcement also had shocked lawmakers and American allies, including Kurds who have fought alongside the US against ISIS and face an expected assault by Turkey.
"I think we're slowing things down in a smart way," Graham said, adding that Trump was very aware of the plight of the Kurds.
Trump on Monday reiterated that he was slowly withdrawing troops.
"If anybody but Donald Trump did what I did in Syria, which was an ISIS loaded mess when I became President, they would be a national hero. ISIS is mostly gone, we're slowly sending our troops back home to be with their families, while at the same time fighting ISIS remnants," Trump tweeted.
Critics had contended that the US withdrawal would embolden Iran and Russia, which have supported the Syrian regime.
National security adviser John Bolton was expected to travel to Israel and Turkey next weekend to discuss the president's plans with the American allies.
