Sunday shows — Officials rush to Trump’s defense on Syria, sanctions

Members of President Trump’s Cabinet including Defense Secretary Mark Esper and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin appeared on the Sunday morning political talk shows to defend the president’s decision to remove U.S. troops from northern Syria ahead of a Turkish military operation and the delay of sanctions against Ankara.

Top Democrats also weighed in on the latest developments in the House’s impeachment inquiry into Trump.

Read The Hill’s complete coverage below.

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Defense chief defends Trump decision on Syria under questioning from Chris Wallace By ZACK BUDRYK    Defense Secretary Mark Esper defended President Trump’s decision to withdraw U.S. troops from northern Syria during an interview with Fox News’s Chris Wallace, insisting that Turkey was ready to invade the country to attack Kurdish forces regardless of the U.S. actions. Read the full story here

Esper: Turkey ‘appears to be’ committing war crimes in northern Syria By ZACK BUDRYK    Defense Secretary Mark Esper said Sunday that Turkey “appears to be” committing war crimes in its incursion into northern Syria. Read the full story here

Mnuchin defends delay in sanctions against Turkey: ‘This is a complicated, developing situation’ By KYLE BALLUCK   Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on Sunday defended a delay in imposing sanctions on Turkey, saying the Trump administration is ready to move forward “at a moment’s notice” over Ankara’s military action in northern Syria. Read the full story here

Senate Democrat on Turkey sanctions: ‘For God’s sake, what are they waiting for?’ By ZACK BUDRYK    “For God’s sake, what are they waiting for? People are being killed right now,” Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) said on “Fox News Sunday.” Read the full story here

GOP senator defends Trump’s decision on Syria By JUSTINE COLEMAN    Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) on Sunday defended President Trump’s decision to withdraw U.S. troops from northern Syria, a move that preceded an offensive by Turkish forces against Kurdish allies of the U.S. in the region. Read the full story here

GOP congressman: ‘We all know’ Turkey wouldn’t have attacked if US troops remained at border By ZACK BUDRYK   Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) on Sunday sharply criticized President Trump’s decision to remove U.S. troops from northeastern Syria, saying the 50 U.S. troops stationed at the border with Turkey would have prevented Turkish forces from advancing into the country. Read the full story here

Engel: ‘I’m disgusted’ US president would be comfortable with Erdogan By JUSTINE COLEMAN    “Erdogan’s a bad guy, and I’m disgusted that the American president would feel comfortable with a guy like Erdogan,” House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.) told host Chuck Todd on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” Read the full story here

Mattis warns ‘ISIS will resurge’ without US pressure on Syria By JOHN BOWDEN    Former Defense Secretary James Mattis said in a new interview that ISIS will become stronger in northern Syria and Iraq if U.S.-aligned forces do not maintain pressure in the region. Read the full story here

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Intelligence Committee Democrat: ‘No requirement’ for impeachment inquiry vote By KYLE BALLUCK    Rep. Jim Himes (D-Conn.), a member of the House Intelligence Committee, said on Sunday that the lower chamber may vote on the impeachment inquiry into President Trump, but stressed that there is “no requirement for it,” defending the way his party is handling the issue. Read the full story here

Schiff: ‘Republicans would like nothing better’ than for impeachment inquiry witnesses to coordinate testimony By ZACK BUDRYK   House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) defended conducting closed interviews as part of the House impeachment inquiry, suggesting House Republicans wanted public hearings so witnesses could coordinate their testimony. Read the full story here

Bannon: Trump ‘is going to have to rethink his legal team’ By JOHN BOWDEN   President Trump’s former top aide Stephen Bannon says that his old boss should consider shaking up his legal team, and in particular appeared to call for the removal of Rudy Giuliani. Read the full story here

Buttigieg knocks Trump as a ‘walking conflict of interest’ By JUSTINE COLEMAN    Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg on Sunday called out President Trump as a “walking conflict of interest.” Read the full story here

Sanders on difference with Warren: She’s a capitalist ‘I’m not By JOHN BOWDEN    Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said in a new interview that a major difference between him and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) is Warren’s support of capitalism. Read the full story here