WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump is defending his decision to pull back U.S. troops from northeastern Syria, citing a focus on the "BIG PICTURE!"

Trump tweets Wednesday that "GOING INTO THE MIDDLE EAST IS THE WORST DECISION EVER MADE IN THE HISTORY OF OUR COUNTRY!"

Trump says "stupid endless wars, for us, are ending!" and he is "slowly & carefully" bringing U.S. troops home.

But the decision to leave Syrian Kurds — who supported the U.S. in the fight against Islamic State militants — vulnerable to a military onslaught from Turkey has been condemned by some of Trump's staunchest Republican allies.

Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina told "Fox & Friends" on Wednesday that such a move would be Trump's "biggest mistake" as president.