problem. >> when the world focuses on isis and not getting assad out. >> we're seeing notes from the briefing and he's saying that the position on assad was not an issue of being comfortable with him but a reflection of the political realities on the ground. that may be true. but this is going to force at least a reexamination of the way the administration talks about it and perhaps a reexamination of what they're willing to do about it. >> the other thing is the first instinct is to point the finger somewhere else, to the obama administration which no question they were muddled over how to handle syria, but trump now has the white house and he's not talking about -- at least not yet about what his role should be for the united states. and they sort of have been soft on assad. saying that it's changing the u.s. policy on how we deal with assad and keeping him in place.