Pompeo names high-level Syria team as Trump looks for the exit

WASHINGTON — Nineteen months into the Donald Trump administration, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has named a high-level diplomatic team to work on Syria. In the final stages of the military campaign to combat the Islamic State’s (IS) physical presence in Syria, Trump has expressed continued misgivings about funding any post-war stabilization.

“The United States has ended the ridiculous 230 Million Dollar yearly development payment to Syria,” Trump tweeted Aug. 18. “Saudi Arabia and other rich countries in the Middle East will start making payments instead of the U.S. I want to develop the U.S., our military and countries that help us!”