Ohio Sen. Rob Portman says President Donald Trump's decision to remove U.S. troops from Syria has created chaos and sent the wrong message to America's allies.

"What we had developed over time was the ability to at least keep the peace in that region," Portman told Ohio reporters Thursday. "Now, it's just a much more chaotic situation."

On Wednesday, the U.S. House of Representatives condemned Trump's decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria, clearing the way for Turkey to attack U.S. Kurdish allies. Since 2014, the United States has worked with Kurdish forces to fight the Islamic State terrorist group, also known as ISIS.

U.S. Rep. Steve Chabot, R-Westwood, and Rep. Brad Wenstrup, R-Columbia Tusculum, joined the bipartisan rebuke of Trump's action. Rep. Warren Davidson, R-Troy, voted against it.

Portman plans to support sanctions on Turkey for its offensive in northern Syria. He also hopes talks today between Vice President Mike Pence and U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will halt the military action.

"In the meantime, there's been a lot of damage done," Portman said.

Portman added that abandoning U.S. allies like the Kurds is a problem for more than that region.

"I am concerned now that we are leaving the Kurds to their own devices and they're being attacked," Portman said. "That will be not only wrong with regards to our Kurdish allies there but also sends a message to current and future potential allies about U.S. commitment."

Portman said he understands Trump's position about not promoting endless wars in the Middle East. "But this was a situation where it was actually working."

Impeachment

If Americans want to remove Trump from office, Portman said the right route was the election not impeachment.

“The American people have a choice that they’re going to be able to make if they want to vote Donald Trump out of office, they’ll have an opportunity to do that," Portman said. "But instead, we are apparently going to proceed down this path of impeachment, which does prevent us from getting our work done and does take that decision away from the people who have a chance to vote here during the next year.”

A trial in the Senate would halt all other work, he added. In 1998, then-Rep. Rob Portman voted to impeach President Clinton, forcing a Senate trial.

Lordstown's future

Portman said the tentative agreement between the United Auto Workers and General Motors doesn't save the Lordstown plant, which has been unallocated since March when the last Chevrolet Cruze rolled off the line.

"We have earned the right to have the right to have the vehicle there by doing the right thing for GM," Portman said. "For GM to just pull out without giving the Mahoning Valley the chance to show what they can do again is really disappointing."