Will Republican Hawks Convince Trump to Take a Tougher Line on Syria?

In the wake of a deadly chemical attack in Syria, some Republicans in Congress have called on President Trump to stand up more forcefully to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad—with Senator Marco Rubio going so far as to suggest that the administration’s foreign policy has emboldened him. Now, there are indications that Trump may be willing to take a harder line, as the president is reportedly considering the possibility of a military response.

After on a rebel-held town in Syria on Tuesday, several of the Senate’s more hawkish lawmakers pushed the Trump administration to make a move. in a joint statement on Thursday that Assad “must pay a punitive cost for this horrific attack,” and called on the United States to “lead an international coalition to ground Assad’s air force.” Graham earlier the attack “the biggest test yet of the Trump presidency,” while Senator Tom Cotton the United States must adopt “a stronger Syria policy” starting “with demanding Assad’s departure.”