WASHINGTON – Democratic Policy and Communications Committee (DPCC) Chair David N. Cicilline (RI-01), who serves on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, issued the following statement today:

“President Trump just gave Vladimir Putin two big Christmas gifts. Withdrawing American forces from Syria in such a hasty fashion is an enormous boon to Russian and Iranian interests in the Middle East. As I’ve said all along, Congress should debate an Authorization for the Use of Military Force that defines a clear objective and outlines a strategy for any American involvement in Syria. Rather than seeking an authorization from Congress and setting forth our objectives in this region, the President continues to conduct foreign policy in a critical part of the world with no clear goals in mind or a comprehensive strategy.”

“We’ve also just learned that the Treasury Department is moving to lift sanctions on three massive corporations run by Oleg Deripaska, a Russian oligarch who previously worked directly with Paul Manafort to advance Russian interests in Ukraine.”

“The timing of these two announcements is suspect. Decisions about American foreign policy should be made with America’s best interests in mind, not Russia’s.”