Tuhia he haere tonu mo tenei whitianga - I muri mai i taua marama, i patai a Trump mo te alt-matau i roto i te uiui me "The New York Times". Ka whakahokia e ia: "E kore ahau e hiahia ki te whakaongaonga i te rōpū, a ka whakakahore ahau i te rōpū". I riri te tokomaha o ngā kaiwhaiwhai i tēnei whakakahoretanga. I te Paenga-whāwhā 2017, he maha nga kaitiaki-matau i whakahe i te whakahau a Trump ki te whakarewa i te whakaeke rererangi a Shayrat
i ngā whaainga hōia o Hiria; pērā ki te tokomaha o te hunga i tautoko i a ia, i whakapono rātau kei te hoki whakamuri ia i tana kupu whakaari mō tētahi kaupapa here ā-waho kore-whakapae i te Middle East.