Instead, the president deployed several messengers to try to explain his decision, including Vice President Mike Pence, who had been previously scheduled to attend a lunch with senators to discuss how to avert a looming government shutdown.
In the wake of the Syria announcement, however, Pence came to the lunch armed with White House talking points on the decision, which he delivered. Senators who attended the lunch later said it did not go well.
“I felt badly for the vice president because he had talking points and, I mean, um, you know, there’s no way he could really defend — he did what a loyal soldier would do, but it was not resonating,” Corker told reporters.
Later in the afternoon, the White House scheduled a briefing call for reporters on the Syria decision with a senior administration official.
But instead of shedding light on Trump’s process, or his rationale, the official, who was granted anonymity, said only that the decision had been Trump’s to make.