WSJ: Trump ‘Not Insisting’ Al-Assad Must Go in Syria

Local Editor

US President Donald Trump said Washington won't demand that Syrian president Bashar al-Assad leave power to end the six-year war in the country.

In an interview with Wall Street Journal, Trump said it ‘was not possible' for peace with al-Assad still in power.

"Are we insisting on it? No. But I do think it's going to happen at a certain point," Trump said, adding that it's not impossible for peace with al-Assad still in power.

"I think it's hard to imagine. I wouldn't use the word impossible. I think the word impossible is not right. But it does seem like you certainly wouldn't be off to a good start."

Meanwhile, Trump flipped on his campaign promise to label China a currency manipulator, saying "they're not currency manipulators."

On the campaign trail, Trump repeatedly promised to label China a currency manipulator.

"On day one of a Trump administration, the US Treasury Department will designate China a currency manipulator," Trump wrote in an op-ed for the Journal in November 2015.

On the other hand, Trump said that ‘dollar was going too strong' because of him.

"I think our dollar is getting too strong, and partially that's my fault because people have confidence in me. But that's hurting - that will hurt ultimately," Trump told the Journal.

"Look, there's some very good things about a strong dollar, but usually speaking the best thing about it is that it sounds good."

The US dollar dropped sharply after Trump's comments.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team