Image by Getty Images

Ivanka Trump disputed claims that she was the main cheerleader in the White House for a strike against Bashar al-Assad’s Syrian regime after the dictator used chemical weapons on his own people.

“That would be a flawed interpretation… It was informed at the highest levels of military and state. I of course shared my perspective and opinion,” she said on a visit to Germany, where she’s currently on her first trip abroad as a government official.

President Trump’s decision to fire missiles at a Syrian airbase following the chemical weapons attacks was upsetting to many in his base, given the isolationist positions he often took during the campaign. Members of the racist “alt-right” movement alleged that Ivanka and husband Jared Kushner were the motivators of the administration’s decision.

Forwarding the News

Thoughtful, balanced reporting from the Forward and around the web, bringing you updated news and analysis each day.

Terms(Required)

I agree to the Forward's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Email(Required)

Brother Eric Trump seemed to confirm that speculation when he told Britain’s Daily Telegraph that he thought his sister was a main advocate for intervention. “Ivanka is a mother of three kids and she has influence. I’m sure she said: ‘Listen, this is horrible stuff,’” he said.

Contact Daniel J. Solomon at [email protected] or on Twitter @DanielJSolomon

The Forward is free to read, but it isn’t free to produce

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward.

Now more than ever, American Jews need independent news they can trust, with reporting driven by truth, not ideology. We serve you, not any ideological agenda.

At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and polarized discourse.

Readers like you make it all possible. Support our work by becoming a Forward Member and connect with our journalism and your community.

This is a great time to support independent Jewish journalism you rely on. Make a gift today!

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.

$90 $180

$360

Other amount