Trump says he wanted to ASSASSINATE Assad, blames ex-defense chief Mattis for staying his hand

US President Donald Trump has claimed he wanted to “take out” Syrian President Bashar Assad in 2017 but was deterred by then-Defense Secretary James Mattis – after previously denying an assassination was even discussed. “I would have rather taken [Assad] out,” Trump told Fox & Friends on Tuesday, insisting “I had him all set,” but “Mattis didn’t want to do it.” "I would have rather taken him out" -- Trump says he wanted to assassinate Bashar al-Assad, but Mattis stopped him...