--- title: Syria: H.R. McMaster Says U.S. Wants Regime Change description: National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster said the U.S. wants to defeat Islamic State and remove Syrian President Bashar Assad canonical: https://time.com/4732401/hr-mcmaster-donald-trump-syria/ author: Mahita Gajanan article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2017-04-09T20:20:06.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-02-23T04:18:31.105Z article:section: Politics og:title: H.R. McMaster: U.S. Wants to Eliminate 'Murderous Regime' in Syria og:description: "We are prepared to do more" og:url: https://time.com/4732401/hr-mcmaster-donald-trump-syria/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt2db0377b1c0c1377/6988c206a988caace26bba59/mcmaster.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 2000 og:image:height: 1125 og:image:alt: H.R. McMaster og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: H.R. McMaster: U.S. Wants to Eliminate 'Murderous Regime' in Syria twitter:description: "We are prepared to do more" twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt2db0377b1c0c1377/6988c206a988caace26bba59/mcmaster.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster: U.S. Wants to Eliminate 'Murderous Regime' in Syria > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: August 2026. ## TIME D.C. Brief: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition D.C. Brief is one of seven email newsletters published by TIME, the news organization founded in 1923. Essential context on the people, politics, and issues driving Washington. D.C. Brief goes beyond the Washington headlines to explain the politics, personalities and power dynamics shaping what happens next. 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It is written by a TIME senior correspondent who covers the capital full time. #### Who writes TIME's D.C. Brief? Philip Elliott, a senior correspondent at TIME, writes D.C. Brief. #### Is D.C. Brief free? Yes. D.C. Brief is free at time.com/newsletters. by [Mahita Gajanan](https://time.com/author/mahita-gajanan/) ## Mahita Gajanan Gajanan is an editor at TIME. Apr 9, 2017 8:20 PM UTC  Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster in Palm Beach, Fla., on Feb. 20, 2017. Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster in Palm Beach, Fla., on Feb. 20, 2017. Susan Walsh—AP by [Mahita Gajanan](https://time.com/author/mahita-gajanan/) ## Mahita Gajanan Gajanan is an editor at TIME. Apr 9, 2017 8:20 PM UTC National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster said the U.S. wants to defeat the Islamic State and remove Syrian President Bashar Assad — although not in a unilateral move — in his [first televised interview](http://www.foxnews.com/on-air/fox-news-sunday-chris-wallace/videos#p/5369946651001/v/5391449794001). McMaster left open the possibility for further military action against Syria following a [missile strike last week](http://time.com/4732046/us-syria-strikes-pressure/) ordered by President Trump in response to the country’s [chemical attack](http://time.com/4732044/syria-gas-attack-airstrikes-russia/) against rebel forces that killed 87 people including children. Speaking on _Fox News Sunday_, McMaster said Trump was seeking a “political solution” for a regime change in Syria. “It’s very difficult to understand how a political solution could result form the continuation of the Assad regime,” McMaster said. “Now, we are not saying that we are the ones who are going to effect that change. What we are saying is, other countries have to ask themselves some hard questions. Russia should ask themselves … why are we supporting this murderous regime that is committing mass murder of its own population?” McMaster said U.S. goals of both destroying ISIS and ousting Assad were “simultaneous.” He did not rule out further strikes on Syria if Assad continued egregious attacks against rebel forces with chemical or other weapons. “We are prepared to do more,” he said. “The President will make whatever decision he thinks is in the best interest of the American people.” ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4732401/hr-mcmaster-donald-trump-syria/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4732401/hr-mcmaster-donald-trump-syria/"},"headline":"National Security Adviser H.R. 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