Transcript for Trump says 'major decisions' on Syria coming soon

This is an ABC news. Now report. Do you did you. Good morning and were coming on the air at this hour because president trump is meeting with his cabinet at the White House right now over the growing crisis in Syria. The president discussing how to respond to the suspected chemical attack blamed for killing dozens of civilians Duma near the capital city of Damascus. It is believed the attack was carried out by the Syrian regime and in a series of tweets president trump. Calling Syrian president Asad and Hannibal he also says Russian president Vladimir Putin and Iran are responsible for backing aside and the president warning. That there will be a quote big price. Let's get right to ABC's chief global affairs correspondent Martha Raddatz is live in Washington and Martha the last time about a year ago we know was just three days. Before the US struck after first evidence of chemical warfare back then. What kind of proof are they looking for right now and what action could come. What what they did last year the last time they struck was they had actual satellite imagery they knew what kind of aircraft dropped those bombs that contained chemicals. This time don't you. Look and see if they have the same kind of evidence they'll try for tissue samples so try for soil samples but those are going to be. Very very hard to get because. This is the Asad regime. And they'll be looking out for that they'll want to bury that evidence can infect the pinning down a year ago releasing that flight path very quickly let's get to see Levy get the White House. The president creating his own red line a year ago a new one. Yeah he said that he was moved David by that seeing those horrible photos that we saw in Syria the last time around move deeply on a personal level. And then we saw those tomahawk missiles go and I believe we're hearing the president entering their didn't let me out as he attacked army stopped talking and so let's listen I'll keep going. NN has chemical weapons. It was an atrocious attack. It was horrible. You don't see. Things like that as bad as the news is around the world you just don't see those images. We are setting that situation extremely closely we are being with our military and everybody else. Man what we're making some major decisions over the next 24 to 48 hours. We are. Very concerned. What a thing like that can happen. This is about humanity we're talking about humanity. And he can't be allowed to happen. So will be. Look at that barbaric. Act and studying. What's going on would try to get people and there's you know it's been surrounded so it's very hard to get people then because not only. Has it been hit it's been surrounded. If there innocent why aren't they allowing people to go and improve. As you know they're claiming they didn't make me attack. So. If it's Russia. If it Syria. In that Sarandon. It's all of them together we'll figure it out. And we'll know the exes quite soon so looking at that very very strongly adverse news. I'd also like to provide. An update on trade negotiations. We have a situation. With China where we have a very good relationship with John and I think we'll maintain that relationship. I'm very good friends with president she have great respect for president G. And as you know I spent two days and China. President spent two days without such morrow Largo Florida. They were four great days where that being said John it's been. Taken advantage of the United States for many years. Really look at it since the start of the World Trade Organization. They have. Really done a number in this country. And I don't blame China I blame the people running our country I blame presidents had blamed representatives I blame negotiators. We should have been able to do what they did we didn't do it they did. And it's the most lopsided. Set of trade rules regulations that anybody's ever seen. With that being said we have many of them perhaps it was a horrible deal where renegotiating it will see what happens. But was strongly renegotiating NAFTA. If you look at the European Union they have tremendous barriers trade barriers. We essentially have bad deals with every what we're close to finishing that it was South Korea which was a horrible -- go to. Give us 200000 jobs well that didn't exactly happen it gave that 200000 jobs we lost jobs. And it was a horrible deal. And that's being renegotiated. And we have. We have a long way to go we've made tremendous progress we are. Fairly close on NAFTA and. We don't make the right it will terminate NAFTA and we'll make the right deal after that. We have a chance to make a deal and NAFTA. And as I said the North Korea. And South Korea situation which complicates it the deal we have with South Korea I think is going to be. I think it's going to be. A very fair deal we want a fair deal. We don't have to your audience. North Korea by the way as you've probably seen we've been in touch with so there will be meeting with them. Sometime. But in. May or early June. And I think they'll be great respect paid by both parties and hopefully. Will be able to make a deal along the North Korea. They've said so we've said so. Hopefully it'll be a relationship that's much different than it's been for many many years. They should have been done by other presidents said they decided they didn't do what they couldn't have done it. But would have been a lot easier if it were done five years ago ten years ago twenty years ago lot easier than now. But we have a meeting that is being set up with North Korea so that'll be. Very exciting I think for the world I think it's going to be a very exciting thing for the world. We're going to be talking about OBO it today OP destruction. And drug destruction as you know we strengthened up our southern border. List you we had record low numbers this year they've got up to a certain extent it might be because our economy is good of people trying to come into a good economy. But we're putting the National Guard and military at the border where. Beefing up the Border Patrol have done a fantastic job. Ice has done a fantastic job. And we will take care of that situation we need to Walt whether you're Republican or Democrat we need a law. And it will stop you drug flow to knock the hell out of the drug flow and you know it'll stop lot of people that we don't want in this country. From coming into our country but right now. We're putting the military move putting the National Guard. And were never strong borders we have strong borders now but they're going to be much strong. And with that the cabinet meeting will. Again we're going to be discussing. A lot of different elements of what's going on the country is doing very well we. We've created three million jobs since the election. We have 700000. Jobs in the last number of months. The numbers are starting to come out from companies corporations that doing incredibly well. It's very solid country is a very solid footing. When we do a deal with. China which probably we well if we don't opt to pay. Pretty high taxes to do business with a country that's a possibility but. If we don't deal with China. If during the course of the negotiations. They want to hit the farmers because they think that hits me. I wouldn't say that's nice but I tell you our farmers are great patriots he's a great patriots they understand. That. They're doing this for the country. And we'll make it up to amend in the end they're going to be much stronger than they are right now don't forget farmers have been. Trending downward over eight year period there numbers of trended downward in some cases significantly. So between aft and giant and all of the things we're doing we're going to. Make that much better than they've ever been. But during this period of time Sonny Perdue is Syria understand exactly what I'm saying. They'll be a little work to be done. But the farmers will be better off than they ever work we'll take a little while to get there about it could be very could be very quick action. I'm say it's not nice when they hit the farmers specifically because they think that hits me. So where that being said there would doing very well on trade and trade deals I think deals will be made I think we're gonna make deals with. A lot of countries that have taken advantage of us and we will be reporting back to everybody and we'll start our cabinet meeting in thank you all. Media press thank you alternate. We're gonna make a decision on all of that particular Syria will be making that decision. Very quickly. Probably by the end of today but we cannot allow. Atrocities like that and you may got him day and if he does. It's going to be very tough it very telling. Everybody's gonna pay a price he will everybody will. She has made it look. Nothing's off the table and nothing's that. Well they're saying they're not but to me there's not much of the doubt but the generals we'll figure it out probably over the next morning reports. Thank you everybody thank you. Thank you thank you yeah. No doubt at all. The markets up today very substantially. Don't forget our country's gonna be a much stronger what this is authenticity understand. You know these great deals a horrible. Our country is that it be much stronger witnesses. OK so that's very important thank you thank you thank him. President trump at the White House talking about trade talking about borders but it was. Syria that the world is watching him he talked about the chemical attack saying it was an atrocious attack it was horrible you just don't see these images. Going on to say this is about humanity moments ago he was asked its military action off the table he says nothing is off the table our own correspondent Jon Karl in the room. Asking cool and was behind it he said he could be and if so. There would be punishment for that I want to bring in our chief global affairs correspondent Martha Raddatz. A hard to believe Arthel little more than a week ago you and I were on the air shortly after the president set on the stage and Ohio. We are coming out of Syria very soon let the other people take care of it now. It appears the president today being forced into reacting and at taking care of the situation that we witnessed in Syria over the weekend and he said. The decision could come as early as the end of today. Ya and David he seemed to have no doubt that it was that chemical attack he said. No doubt to me not much of a doubt at all and of course she tweeted over the weekend. That he thought it was a chemical attack he said he will leave it to his generals to determine that. And of course David when we were talking a week ago he was talking about pulling out because of the progress. Made against crisis this is a very different situation but he is getting some criticism for saying that last week. Saying that possibly that's what brought this on. Martha think you'll ever need Ian pallor senior foreign correspondent he's live in London watching this. Unfold and Ian you heard the president there are safe it's Russia that Syria it's Iran if they're all together on this. We will figure it out. Yeah and how do you fit various tasks in such crucial period of time I mean the truth is that to assess whether or not the has been chemical attack. Take CN PCW. Organization for the prevention of chemical weapons they need to send in the team of experts need to get samples you need to assassin is my office said Dalia. The attacker took place. Twelve months ago it was much easier to get those samples is happening upon to Syria the borders Turkey seem to just get it across the border quickly and get it tested and ultimately that is what happened. And the blame was laid firmly at the foot all Bashar Assad the presence of Syria. This time you and an enclave that surrounded by the Syrian regime forces as well as the Russians. As Sergey Lavrov the Russian foreign minister has already said that sends in a team of experts they've looked fit and they said there's no evidence. But chemical it's pat what weeping speaking to me you're activists on the ground to a telling. ABC news that Downey isn't true that there was a small group who wins in that it would have twenty to thirty minutes didn't take any samples and even if you had taken samples you couldn't assess it that put but the question remains if the president wants to our you'll have to do it without any multi national authorization. And how do you do its part in panel what this is well written Ian tank and as Ian points out. US intelligence now looking for proof of the chemical attack the Russians. A short time ago saying may have been in and found no evidence not terribly surprising coming from the Russians at this hour. Again president trump saying action a decision on any action in Syria after evidence of those chemical attacks that video that played out. All over the world could come within 24 to 48 hours. From the White House for want to breaking developments as they happen download the ABC news happened set up for breaking news alerts our entire team working this all day. I'm David North Sea later today for world news tonight until today. This has been a special report from meetings.

This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.