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Nikki Haley Now Says Removing Assad From Power Is A US Priority

U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley says the U.S. will prioritize removing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad from power.

By: Jake Jones

Posted at 12:13 PM, Apr 09, 2017

and last updated 2017-04-09 12:13:30-04

U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley now says ousting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is a priority for the U.S.

"There is not any sort of option where a political solution is going to happen with Assad at the head of the regime," Haley said on CNN's "State of the Union."

But about a week earlier, Haley said removing Assad from power wasn't a focus for the Trump administration.

The deadly sarin gas attack in Syria that killed 84 people changed the administration's mind.

It prompted President Donald Trump to order a missile strike on an airfield held by the regime.

The change in the administration's policy has some questioning the president's "America First" agenda. Back in 2013, Trump tweeted that then-President Barack Obama shouldn't intervene in Syria.

Haley told CNN removing Assad was one priority for the U.S. Others include defeating ISIS and removing Iran's influence on Syria.