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WASHINGTON, Dec. 24-- While defending his decision to force Defense Secretary James Mattis out ahead of schedule, U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday said that Saudi Arabia has agreed to replace the United States in helping rebuild Syria. In a slew of tweets sent at the White House, Trump said that "Saudi Arabia has now agreed to spend the necessary money needed to help rebuild Syria, instead of the United States." "See? Isn't it nice when immensely wealthy countries help rebuild their neighbors rather than a Great Country, the U.S., that is 5000 miles away," he noted. "Thanks to Saudi A!" The Trump administration has spared no efforts in saving ties with Saudi Arabia, despite the Congress leaders' repeated calls for reviewing it in a bid to punish Riyadh over its reported involvement in the murder of a Saudi journalist, Jamal Khashoggi, in October. Trump also defended his decision to let Mattis leave earlier than the latter's scheduled departure. The U.S. military veteran has resigned on Thursday due to unbridgeable differences with the White House host on relations with allies and the withdrawal from Syria, among others. "To those few Senators who think I don't like or appreciate being allied with other countries, they are wrong, I DO," Trump said. "What I don't like, however, is when many of these same countries take advantage of their friendship with the United States, both in Military Protection and Trade." | 
