Transcript for Sanders: US not conducting airstrikes in Syria 'at this time'

Happy Monday welcomed the briefing room coming Q for the Washington bureau BBC news Afghanistan Kiki alongside Katherine falters and Mary Alice parks. Big week a lot happening down here in Washington we're gonna start first with that chemical attack. In superior from over the weekend it is a top focus right now for the trump administration. I wanna go first to a piece of video from earlier this morning president holding cabinet meeting talking about that attack let's take a listen. It was an atrocious attack. It was horrible. You don't see. Things like that as bad as the new users around the world just don't see those images. We are studying that situation extremely closely we are meet with our military and everybody else. There will be making some major decisions over the next 24 to 48 hours nothing so that. I. And I want to bring in our ABC news contributor retired marine colonel Steve gang neared colonel. What could be the options right now from military response perspective for the trump administration. I think one thing we can say for sure is that it has to be more impressive than the last stand in the last attack when when we hit serie a year ago. There was a very precise attack it was on airfields intended take out some of the airplanes that might have delivered chemical weapons. But it wasn't meant to seriously degrade the Syrian military so. In this case the day that red line that that there was not stated but was clear from from mr. Trump's actions. Was that do not do this again mr. side he has done it again and so the president's going to have to go back in and make some sort of a boulder military statement. So now we know that there's a new team surrounding the president John Bolton be and it's first day today as national security advisor to the president you know. Talk about just the dynamics in this situation they think you know the first time that Donald Trump sent missiles over Syria last year that was the first military action he took his president so. The teen now surrounding him how does this actually work. When he's actually being advised hear about is that he doesn't have a secretary of state at the moment Mike Pompeo is just about to begin confirmation hearings he's got a new and stay on board just that teen walk us through that colonel. Yes so soon so jumbled comes on board with a career of foreign service expert not points or spit but international relations experience of state craft experience. And actually being in the trenches in various parts of the US government. Any understands how things work so the president does not have that sort of experience the president obviously has his own strong views. I think in some ways will find the mr. Bolton will finessed those views that aren't exactly his own with the president's but again he is going to have to represented the president's views. I do think that mr. Bolton will also understand based on some of the writings he made. Last year after the US attack Syria that I think he understands. That that mistress side has been made gains as did that Russia has helped. Aside make those games and that that any sent sort of military resolution that the US might. Participate in is is no longer an option so this is going to be only your are retribution. To tell mr. aside that don't don't gash or people anymore. And speaking of Russia we also saw in that meeting earlier this morning. The president drawing a tough line against Vladimir Putin let's take a listen that real quick. Man had if he does. It's going to be very tough it very public. Everybody's prepared price you will everybody well. Everybody you pay your price Catherine folders I bring that you you've covered this administration from the beginning. The president very rare that he draws such a red line against Vladimir Putin and someone who sees looking forward to meeting in just couple we. He says that they could have a great friendship at least that's something he predicts in you know as well sign do you know he has. Have been very hesitant to speak out against Tutan call amount by name. The administration says that he is actually really tough on Russia in fact it's more the administration being tough on Russia. And then the president so I think it was. A moment there I'm that we have to watch and see if it's something he follows through what you saw Lindsey Graham mum on this week. Saying that this is the defining moment for the president that he will look weak if he hasn't followed through on so definitely. Worth noting that he has caught amount in see where goes from CB takes any action. At least rhetorically it looks like a huge ship trying to present all of a sudden. Would be willing to go head to head with Russia over this issue win it didn't seem like he was eager to do that over. Election meddling. Practice your act and was really struck by the fact that it's here continue to sort of struggle with two contradictory statements on the one hand whining to saying. That they were prepared to beat top that this could not stand. The president was not going to let this go on and answered some light on the other hand repeating what he sat last week. That they are eager to get American soldiers out as soon as they finished the battle ice those two things might be hard to do together and I. When I bring colonel gang and Barack into this conversation is colonel we have the last time that the president. Got tough with Russia it was sanctions if he's seeing here today that everybody. He's going to pay a price what could be the options they are more sanctions what what what he'd beat actually beat half to Vladimir Putin in this case. Yes I think it's gotta be sanctions it's not going to be a military confrontation. Nobody wants to 222 risk world war three or nuclear exchange for the Russians just over over Syria not that important to us. It's not a vital interest but I think some of the things that did can be done would be sanctions but more interestingly think about this. If the president retaliates and military way that humiliate this side. Then it. That makes the Russians look bad because they're there to protect aside so if they are shown to be infinite and not able to protect him that the US can strike with impunity. You know let's say we go in and take out like Baath Party headquarters and we take out military headquarters. And we it we hit the sides palace. And and so that the the Syrian people can see you're leader who talks a big game is we is pretty weak and that Russians have done nothing to defend himself. There are some mentioning ways to do that I'm to marry else's point I think. I'm not sure at least in my mind that there's a direct contradict addiction here. If if you say don't use chemical weapons you can go in and make a military strike. But it doesn't mean that you lock yourself into further ground combat are further commitment of troops and insert. He could end and the script very good explaining himself. In these terms he could do one thing on one hand and something on the other. That would that would at least be plausible so would I may be wrong with that may be what the president would put forward is. I'm gonna stop these chemical attacks I'm also gonna pull my troops. Out of Syria. It's going to be a busy next couple days and thankfully colonel gang will be there to guide us there we appreciated as always we'll talk to you said sanction. Thanks colonel coming back into here in the newsroom you know the other person that is a key focus and is being still popular out of the capital right now. Mark Zuckerberg. Founder of FaceBook he's getting up on Capitol Hill testifying tomorrow before a joint house committee Mary Alice. There are members be on members beyond members they're gonna have questions Mark Zuckerberg tomorrow. All about. What happened here which priest book Cambridge analytical and now he's seven million profiles that were hacked. Rain will be interesting to watch whether this week. Is just griping sash and a lot of grandstanding. For members of congress that are eager to get tough questions. To Mark Zuckerberg and whether or not they actually do some hard policy right. There's a lot of people a lot of American voters and and and members of the held up there who think that some real regulation might. He needed but that's hard work not takes. Leading experts together in a room putting pen to paper and I am not sure that's what this weakland tale this week by the a lot of a TV you know. What do you think I mean is obviously Cambridge analytical of the firm hired by that from campaign to help. That campaign and the RNC bolt saving just used Cambridge's method in use any intervene RAI. That'll shake. They tried to distance themselves from this event the campaign in the currencies saying that came in saying that these the RNC voter data in the cameras and limited data but the reality is that. Cambridge analytic that firm hired about it from campaign there or their folks their employees were working. And trump tower down and down in Texas they have people beyond the RNC they they have people on the ground there's so much as they do trying distance. From that you know it's just it's on paper and it paid rent them so I think. It to your point I agree with all of that there there are some calls for changes in policy Facebook's relationship with cameras and right. But also you heard us air and the briefing today this is kind of funny yet she was asked them what the president thinks that Mark Zuckerberg apparently said before but aren't you know will there be any specific policy announcements some calls on the hill that we've seen it she said not yet so another thing. That we should be watching this week I IRI can anticipate the president responding to this and some but I think it's better now that FaceBook and. Poetic lasting for today a nice story senator Tammy Duckworth the junior senator from Illinois. Gave birth to a baby girl today in her how she becomes the first sitting US senator to give birth while in office. Brett her second daughter it's exciting news and also a new senator sworn in today. Another woman representing Mississippi definitely a high mark for women there in the upper chamber on capital health it's an exciting. Dane looking ahead to the past. Still here so now 23. Seeing some. Pretty good stand up still far from the yes. Getting there. We'll keep an ion regrets to senator Duckworth that they do it for us in the briefing room today for capitalism Mary Alice parks. I'm John San teaching major download BBC news and always that you BC news.com for all the latest. Have a great day.

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