Yahoo News chief investigative correspondent Michael Isikoff traveled to Syria for an exclusive sitdown with President Bashar Assad, his first interview since the inauguration of Donald Trump. During the 35-minute interview, Assad tells Isikoff that some of the 4.8 million refugees from Syria’s civil war are “definitely” aligned with terrorists, adding “you don't need significant number to commit atrocities.” Speaking at a presidential office in Damascus, Assad also says President Trump’s controversial executive order barring refugees from entering the United States is “an American issue.”
As with all interviews granted by President Bashar Assad, this interview was filmed by his presidential press office. No editorial changes were made to the content