“These are the people that have never met a war they didn’t like and have never met a war they wanted to end,” Paul told reporters on Tuesday afternoon, singling out the Cheney family as part of their long-running feud with Paul. “They’ve been wrong about everything in foreign policy for the last several decades.”

The bipartisan backlash Trump faced Monday may have led the administration to begin some damage control. On Tuesday. Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) told reporters that “I understand he’s reconsidering. I do not think we should abandon the Kurds." When asked to clarify, a Cassidy spokesperson said the senator saw reporting that cited Trump may be rethinking the withdrawal.

And Sens. Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) wrote to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) to request an all-senators briefing from top officials in the Defense and State departments as well as the intelligence community.

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"The president’s decision will have severe consequences for our strategic national interests and reduce American influence in the region while strengthening Turkey, Russia, and Iran," the two senators said in a letter to the party leaders. :We are concerned that this was an abrupt decision taken in the face of reported opposition from military and diplomatic advisers."

Despite his sway over Trump on foreign policy matters, Paul said he did not get an immediate heads up about Trump’s decision late on Sunday. Yet it’s the latest example of Trump tuning out the GOP’s hawkish wing, which feels more emboldened to challenge Trump on foreign policy than other matters, and aligning himself with Paul’s worldview.

Trump is even adopting Paul-style rhetoric, using the #EndEndlessWars hashtag on Twitter as Republicans from Graham to McConnell to Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) expressed dismay with the president’s decision, and lawmakers threatened to challenge the president through legislation. Paul returned the favor by comparing Trump’s removal of troops to the actions of Ronald Reagan after a bombing in Lebanon.

“I for one appreciate the president being consistent in his policy that the goal was to eradicate ISIS,” Paul said. “Frankly, I just don’t think it has to be the U.S. obligation to figure each of the world’s problems out.”

Yet more surprising than the Republican disgust for Trump’s strategy shift in Syria was the condemnation from dovish Democrats as well. Paul has teamed with them in the past to disentangle the U.S. from Saudi Arabia but found himself relatively alone this week, with only GOP Sen. Mike Lee of Utah and Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida joining him to defend Trump.

“There are Democrats who probably do think it was ill advised to be in the middle of the Syrian civil war but they’ve gone quiet or dormant since their preoccupation is more in expressing their displeasure for Trump,” Paul said. “The Republicans are predictable” in their opposition.

Sarah Ferris and Wesley Morgan contributed to this story.

