Former Clinton Ambassador Tells MSNBC That Trump Claiming Syrian Oil is ‘Talking Point of ISIS’

Former Ambassador Nancy Soderberg said President Donald Trump is repeating a “talking point of ISIS” when he talks about taking control of Syria’s oil.

“The last thing we want to do is talk about taking oil from other nations. That’s the talking point of ISIS,” Soderberg said. Soderberg served as an alternate representative to the U.N. with the rank of ambassador.

Soderberg was speaking on a MSNBC Live panel Monday, moderated by Chris Jansing who was filling in for regular anchor Stephanie Ruhle.

Trump has garnered controversy and criticism for claiming the military would “take” oil in Syria for the United States.

“We should be able to take some also, and what I intend to do perhaps is make a deal with an Exxon Mobil or one of our great companies to go in there and do it properly,” Trump noted about how he intends to take Syrian oil for the benefit of the United States and its companies.

“We don’t know exactly how many troops will stay there,” she said. “We don’t know what the relationship will be with us and the Turks and the Iranians are increasing influence there.”

Soderberg said the U.S. needs to “defend our interests in the region.”

“Not to take the oil, but secure our interests in the region and it depends on working with the Kurds making sure we don’t hand it over to Russia and Iran. And that is what I fear is going to happen. We need to really focus on the broad strategic interests in the region,” she said.

Watch above, via MSNBC.

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