A "dark day." A "betrayal." The "biggest mistake of this presidency," and "really delusional."
And that was President Donald Trump's fellow Republicans.
Trump's decision to pull American troops out of northern Syria — triggering a deadly Turkish invasion targeting the U.S.'s erstwhile Syrian Kurdish allies — has unmuzzled GOP lawmakers in a manner seldom seen since Trump entered the White House.
In a time when the threat of a caustic Trump tweet is enough to stifle open internal dissent, the extent and strong language Republicans are using to assail his policy is Syria has been striking.
A statistical measurement of the party's disgruntlement was on eye-catching display in in the House, which voted Wednesday by an overwhelming 354-60 to voice its opposition to Trump's troop pullback.
Remarkably, Republicans voted 129-60 for the nonbinding measure, delivering a stinging repudiation of Trump. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., and the chamber's two other top GOP leaders joined in lawmakers' lopsided slap at Trump's decision.
Making Republican defections all the more noteworthy: They came as the two parties are at each other's throats over the Democratic impeachment inquiry of the president.
While virtually all Republicans have rallied behind Trump in the impeachment fight, this is a moment — barely a year from the 2020 elections — when the White House and GOP lawmakers can ill afford to show divisions.
No one was suggesting the GOP's schism with Trump over Syria would soften the party's opposition to tossing him out of office.
"That's a completely different issue," said No. 3 House GOP leader Steve Scalise of Louisiana.
No Republicans attacked Trump personally, instead carefully focusing their criticism on the policy.
Still, the unfettered way in which Republicans openly belittled his troop withdrawal was noteworthy, both for its sweep and for the freedom that GOP lawmakers seemed to feel in opposing him.
Rep. Michael McCaul of Texas, the top Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, called it a "dark day" that would have been "much darker" if the two parties hadn't united in voicing their opposition to the troop pullback.
No. 3 House GOP leader Liz Cheney of Wyoming said Syrian Kurds are "facing what looks like a betrayal" by the U.S.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who's been a staunch Trump defender since he entered the White House but a critic of his troop withdrawal, said Trump was making "the biggest mistake of this presidency."
While Trump had said the Kurds would be fine because "they know how to fight," Graham told reporters, "To suggest the Kurds are safer is really delusional."
And Graham all but said Trump would be to blame if there's a new terrorist attack by Islamic State militants. Many fear that group will be revived as Turkey batters the very Kurdish fighters who've been helping the U.S. neutralize them.
"It's going to be to the president's detriment if there's any attacks on our country, inspired attacks, not directly attacks, then he'll own it," Graham said.
Also wading in was Rep. Will Hurd, R-Texas, who's not seeking reelection and has clashed with Trump over immigration and other issues.
Hurd called Trump's withdrawal a "disastrous decision" because the U.S. is abandoning an ally and ceding influence in the region to adversaries like Russia and Iran. He recalled his pre-Congress experience as an undercover CIA counter-terrorism officer.
"One of the things I learned when I was in the CIA was to be nice with nice guys and tough with tough guys, not the other way around," he said pointedly.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has repeatedly called the move "a mistake" and expressed a determination to do something to correct it, though the answer is unclear.
A former senator and Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman, Bob Corker, R-Tenn., who had frequent clashes with Trump and retired last year, has made few public statements since leaving Congress but weighed in on Wednesday.
Asked in an interview why the GOP pushback has been so strong, Corker said, "It was such an irresponsible, precipitous decision where thousands of people are going to die. It's at a whole new level."
Democrats, of course, showed no hesitance in using even stronger language against Trump.
Rep. David Cicilline, D-R.I., labeled the withdrawal a "dangerous and stupid decision."
And Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Mass., a former Marine and Iraq War veteran, said Trump "has never put his life on the line for his country" like U.S. soldiers in Syria have done.
"Perhaps if he had not dodged the draft by lying about his feet, sending another American in his place to Vietnam," he'd know that "nothing is more evil than betrayal," Moulton said.
That was a reference to a deferment that allowed Trump to not serve in the Vietnam War due to bone spurs. Critics have accused him of draft dodging because Trump hasn't been able to recall which foot had the problem.
Here’s a rundown of the AP’s latest Election 2024 coverage plans, including live video and text plans, our explanatory journalism and highlights from previous cycles. Candidate schedules are included when available. All times are EDT.
You can find US Election 2024-The Daily Rundown in your CMS or in AP Newsroom.
For up-to-the-minute information on AP’s coverage, visit AP Newsroom’s Coverage Plan. Find our election coverage in the U.S. Elections hub in AP Newsroom.
To sign up for our Politics Advisory, delivered afternoons Monday through Friday to your inbox, click here.
TRUMP TRIAL OPENING-AP EXPLAINS — Opening statements in Donald Trump’s hush money trial set the stage for weeks of testimony about the former president’s personal life and places his legal troubles at the center of his closely contested campaign against President Joe Biden. An AP reporter debrief. Newsroom Ready and Consumer Ready edits.
BIDEN-EARTH DAY — President Joe Biden marked Earth Day by announcing $7 billion in federal grants for residential solar projects serving households in low- and middle-income communities — while blasting Republicans who want to gut his policies to address climate change. Newsroom Ready and Consumer Ready edits.
President Joe Biden campaigns in Tampa, Florida. Events at 3 p.m. and 4:15 p.m.
++ Candidate schedules are subject to change. Coverage of some events is on merits. ++
7 a.m. — Live NY Trump Pool coverage outside of Trump Tower in New York is planned.
8:30 a.m. — Live NY Trump Pool or Live AP coverage outside of the courthouse in New York is planned.
9 a.m. — Live pool coverage from the courthouse hallway in New York is planned.
4:15 p.m. — Live US Network Pool of President Joe Biden’s campaign event in Tampa, Florida.
TRUMP-HUSH-MONEY-MEDIA-BLOGS — With cameras not allowed at former President Donald Trump’s hush money trial in New York, live news blogs are coming into their own as an important news tool. SENT: 710 words, photos.
TRUMP-HUSH MONEY — A longtime tabloid publisher is expected to tell jurors about his efforts to help Donald Trump stifle unflattering stories during the 2016 campaign as testimony resumes in the historic hush money trial of the former president. David Pecker, the former National Enquirer publisher, will be back on the stand Tuesday. SENT: 1,160 words, photos, video. UPCOMING: 1,200 words after trial resumes at 9:30 a.m.
ELECTION 2024-TRUMP-ELECTION INTERFERENCE — Donald Trump faces serious charges in two separate cases over whether he attempted to subvert the Constitution by overturning the results of a fair election. Yet it’s a New York case centered on payments to silence an adult film star that might provide the only legal reckoning this year. Some legal experts are dubious about attempting to tie a record-keeping case to manipulating an election. SENT: 1,050 words, photos.
SUPREME COURT-TRUMP-CAPITOL RIOT-THINGS TO KNOW — The core issue being debated before the Supreme Court on Thursday boils down to this: Whether a former president is immune from prosecution for actions taken while in office — and, if so, what is the extent of the immunity? SENT: 1,070 words, photo.
ELECTION 2024-PENNSYLVANIA — Pennsylvania primaries on Tuesday will cement the lineup for a high-stakes U.S. Senate race between Democratic Sen. Bob Casey and Republican challenger David McCormick. Joe Biden and Donald Trump are expected to win their presidential nominations easily. SENT: 890 words, photos. Polls close at 8 p.m.
ELECTION 2024-BIDEN-ABORTION — President Joe Biden is heading to Tampa, Florida, to decry the state’s looming six-week abortion ban as his campaign continued to seize on reproductive rights as a key campaign issue. SENT: 890 words, photos, video.
TRUMP-HUSH MONEY — Donald Trump tried to illegally influence the 2016 presidential election by preventing damaging stories about his personal life from becoming public, a prosecutor told jurors at the start of the former president’s historic hush money trial. SENT: 1,270 words, photos, video. With TRUMP-HUSH MONEY-TAKEAWAYS — Opening statements provide a clear roadmap of how prosecutors will try to make the case that Trump broke the law, and how the defense plans to fight the charges.
BIDEN-EARTH DAY — President Joe Biden marked Earth Day by announcing $7 billion in federal grants for residential solar projects serving 900,000-plus households in low- and middle-income communities — while criticizing Republicans who want to gut his policies to address climate change. SENT: 860 words, photos.
Tue., April 23 — Pennsylvania presidential primary.
Sun., April 28 — Puerto Rico Democratic presidential primary.
May 7 — Indiana presidential primary.
May 14 — Maryland presidential primary, Nebraska presidential primary and West Virginia presidential primary.
May 21 — California 20th Congressional District special election, Kentucky presidential primary, Oregon presidential primary.
For coverage and planning questions, the Nerve Center can be reached at +1 800 845 8450 (ext. 1600). For access to AP Newsroom and other technical issues, contact apcustomersupport@ap.org or call +1 844 777 2006.
Former president Donald Trump, center, awaits the start of proceedings at Manhattan criminal court, Monday, April 22, 2024, in New York. Opening statements in Donald Trump's historic hush money trial are set to begin. Trump is accused of falsifying internal business records as part of an alleged scheme to bury stories he thought might hurt his presidential campaign in 2016. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura, Pool)
