Trump just idly threatened to release captured ISIS fighters into Germany and France

In an appalling show and deeply disturbing threat to our European allies, President Trump floated the idea — for the second time today — of releasing captured ISIS prisoners into Europe without any monitoring or trial.

Speaking to a veterans’ convention in Kentucky, the president turned what was supposed to be a nonpartisan address into another of his campaign rallies and continued his renewed feud with NATO nations by threatening to release captured jihadis into their countries of origin.

In case it wasn’t clear enough, Trump added earlier this morning that this means “Germany and France.”

Anywhere between 27,000 and 31,000 foreign fighters traveled to Iraq and Syria to fight for the ISIS caliphate. Many of those fighters have since been captured by Kurdish and American coalition forces, prompting an uncomfortable question of what is to be done with them.

Trump apparently sees them as a pawn to be used for whatever purposes he sees fit.

The bewildering and incredibly offensive remarks are part of the President’s ongoing campaign against the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and our European allies in general. Possibly a tangent to his ongoing feud with the Kingdom of Denmark, he took time out of his morning to complain about Denmark’s contributions to NATO and complained about Germany’s “quantitative tightening”

It goes without saying that our international allies will be stunned and horrified by the president’s idle threats. The prisoners captured in the war against ISIS must have their day in court, and our close allies in Europe deserve to be treated with much more respect than this.

Colin Taylor

Managing Editor

Colin Taylor is the managing editor of the Washington Press. He graduated from Bennington College with a Bachelor's degree in history and political science. He now focuses on advancing the cause of social justice, equality, and universal health care in America.