Sacrifices of war widows and war widowers. Well introduce you to two gold star wives that say talk is cheap. He need help. Good afternoon, everyone. Welcome to the lead. Im jake tapper. President trump has made it clear he wants to be president of america and not of the world. He stated this again just this week. Now the world is trying to figure out what exactly does that mean . North korea piled on the pressure with a Missile Launch last night right before President Trump is set to host chinas president in what mr. Trump calls a very difficult meeting with some focus on north korea but nowhere is President Trump being tested more than right now than in syria. Today the president condemned Bashar Al Assad for the chemical weapons attack that killed dozens of innocent syrians, including babies, and the president again faulted president obama for refusing to attack syria back in september 2013 after drawing that socalled red line on the u. S. Of chemical weapons. The Obama Administration had a great opportunity to solve this crisis a long time ago when he saet the red line in the san and when he didnt cross the line after making that threat that set us back a long ways, not only in syria but in many other parts of the world because it was a blank threat. I think it was something that was not one of our better days as a country. Faulting president obama, of course, for not acting against assad after the red line threat is a perfectly legitimate criticism, but can President Trump credibly make it at the time, september 2013 . Mr. Trump was tell president obama dont follow through on your threat. Quote, president obama, do not attack syria. There is no upside and tremendous downside. Save your powder for another more important day. Again, to our very foolish leader, another tweet said. Do not attack syria. If you do, many very bad things will happen and from that fight the u. S. Gets nothing. President trump said that assad crossed a lot of lines in this most recent attack. Cnn White House Correspondent sara murray joins me now. Asked if he might take action against assad in syria, we didnt get an answer from President Trump. Reporter thats right. This is a very interesting moment today, jake, because as this new president is learning like so many before him you may want to focus on your domestic agenda. You may want to put america first, but time and time again the world intervene as it did with its brutal attack in syria, and once again the world is looking to the u. S. To see how they will respond. Today we did not get a clear answer. The president of the United States and his majesty. Reporter President Trump sailed into office on tough talk but faced with his First International crisis its unclear what action, if any, the u. S. Will take in response. One of the things i think youve noticed about me is militarily i dont like to say where im going and what im doing. Im not saying im doing anything one way or the other, but im certainly not going to be telling you. Reporter after meeting with King Abdullah of jordan today in the rose garden, the president threw his own red line on syria, expressing horror about the chemical attack that left women and children dead. When you kill innocent children, innocent babies, babies, little babies, with a chemical gas that is so lethal, and people were shocked to hear what gas it was, that cross kez many, many lines, beyond a red lines, many, many lines. Reporter the primary foegeus of trumps middle east policy, defeating isis while laying the blame for other Foreign Policy quandaries from syria to Nuclear Threats at the feet of former president obama, even as he played the blame game today, acknowledging that now hes the one in charge. I now have responsibility, and i will have that responsibility and carry is very proudly. I will tell you that. It was now my responsibility. It was a great opportunity missed. Reporter today congressional leaders on both sides of the aisle pointed to syria as trumps first true Foreign Policy test. Already some say hes falling short. What hes done with syria is emblematic of what he always does. Instead of a policy, instead of action, theres just blame. Blame doesnt solve the problem. Republican senator marco rubio even suggesting that the Trump Administration emboldened assad to say that he wouldnt seek to overthrow the leader. If youre Bashar Al Assad and you read its no longer a priority of the United States to have you removed from oh, i believe that that is an incentive to act with impunity. Reporter today trump offered no criticism of russias support for assad saying only that his view of assad was evolving. My attitude toward syria and assad has changed very much. Reporter but the biggest meeting of the week comes tomorrow when trump sits down with the chinese president at his Luxury Resort in maralago. After putting china on notice after north Koreas Nuclear problem. Thats another responsibility that we have, and thats called the country of north korea. We have a big problem. All of this as staff intrigue continues to swirl in the west wing. The move a demotion for bannon and a victory for h. R. Mcmaster who trump tapped in february to lead the council. Now at that highprofile press conference in the rose garden today it was noticeable who was in the front row, secretary of state Rex Tillerson and h. R. Mcmaster. Not there, steve bannon. Jake . Thanks very much. For more on the latest atrocity in syria lets go to cnn National Correspondent ben wedeman live near the border. You spoke to survivors of the attack. What more are you learning . Well, were learning that theres still, jake, pulling bodies out of the rubble and we spoke to some activists just a few minutes ago. They said they discovered seven more bodies in one of the areas that was affected by this incident. Now, we got an opportunity to speak to some of the people who were brought over from syria into turkey who had been affected by this chemical secret service agent. Weve met one young boy, 13 years old, who told us that when he heard the blast he ran up to his roof. He saw that one of the explosions took place near his grandfathers house. He ran barefoot to find out if something had happened to his grandparents. He found his grandfather slumped over, seemingly dead, asphyxiated and ran outside the fumes and succumbed himself to the fumes and he came too . A turkish hospital. He told us today that 19 of his relatives were killed in that attack. Jake . Ben wedeman, thank you so much. Another major world crisis, north korea, another provocative Missile Launch coming just before a big meeting with President Trump and the leader of china. Cnns will winly joins me now. The big question, i guess, is was north korea trying to send a message ahead of this big meeting between President Trump and chinese president xi. Reporter well, theres no Public Statement of saying that from north korea, and chinese officials here in beijing are trying to downplay any connection between this very important president ial summit. It has to be irritating for them that their president xi jinping is often mentioned when north Korean Leader kim jongun does something bad, but, of course, as north koreas sole benefactor, if you will, china is often believed to bear responsibility for providing the Financial Resources for north korea to do this. This latest Missile Launch described by one Senior Administration official as a spectacular failure, it only traveled around 37 miles or so, but given the fact that there is a big president ial summit coming up in maralago as well as two major events in north korea next week, the big legislative gathering, the Supreme Peoples Assembly on tuesday when all the delegates vote unanimously for whatever kim jongun presents and the most notable holiday of the year, the day of the sun, the president plans events around this. In 2012 they attempted to launch a satellite. Analysts believe they could push the button on a nuclear test fanned this happens during the big summit it would force the u. S. And china to speak out about it when they have a lot of other things on their plate including trade and the south china sea. Will ripley, thank you so much. Will congress go along with the president s change in attitude on syria . Senate John Barrasso of the Senate ForeignRelations Committee joins us next. Stay with us. Ive found a permanent escape from monotony. Together, we are perfectly balanced, our senses awake, our hearts racing as one. I know this is sudden, but they say if you love something. Set it free. See you around, giulia at crowne plaza we know Business Travel isnt just business. Theres this. a bit of this. Why not . Your hotel should make it easy to do all the things you do. Which is what we do. Crowne plaza. Were all business, mostly. Our 18 year old wase army in an accident. 98. When i call usaa it was that voice asking me, is your daughter ok . Thats where i felt relief. Were the rivera family, and we will be with usaa for life. This is petes yard. And its been withered by winter. But all pete needs is scotts turf builder lawn food. Its the fast and easy way to a thick green lawn. It takes grass from hungry to healthy. This is a scotts yard. But theyre different. D kind its nice to remove artificial ingredients. Kind never had to. Weve used real ingredients, whole nuts, and Natural Flavors from the very beginning. Give kind a try. Welcome back to the lead. Lets continue with the world lead and bring in republican John Barrasso, a member of the Senate ForeignRelations Committee. Senator, thanks so much for joining us with us as always. Appreciate being with us. Thank you. Senator marco rubio, a fellow republican and fellow member of the Foreign Relations committee h. Ytoday drew a Straight Line between secretary of state Rex Tillerson suggesting that the u. S. Would not be the ones to take assad out of power and the horrific chemical weapons attack in syria. Take a listen. Its concerning that the secretary of state, 72 hours ago or a week ago, last friday said, you know, that the future is up to the people in syria on what happens with assad, in essence, almost nodding to the idea that assad was going to get to stay in some capacity. I dont think its a coincidence that a few days later that we see this. Assad believes and sadly he may be right that he can gas his people with sarin, kill children and kill innocent civilians. People will complain. There will be a meeting at the u. N. Security council and life will go on and hell stay in power. Hes made that calculation. The russians support him on this. China is indifferent, and i hate to say this, i think hes going to get away with it again. Do you agree with what senator rubio says both in terms of secretary of state tillerson and also in terms of the general response of the world . Well, a couple of things. One is this is a horrific attack against humanity. Anyone that has seen the video understands that completely. I do believe that assad feels emboldened, but emboldened because he has russia on the ground right now in syria and because he had russia and china both doing his bidding at the United Nations vetoing the efforts that we had in a worldwide effort to put additional sanctions on syria, so i think that assad feels emboldened for a number of reasons, and thats the way i look tat. Do you think that one of those reasons includes the fact that the secretary of state basically announced that the United States government has a new position and no longer believes that regime change in syria is necessary . Well, i think President Trump made his statement as well of the number of lines that this has cross, the red line talked about by president obama may need to be enforced now by President Trump, but assad is emboldened in ways that he hadnt been before, and President Trumps job is that much more difficult as the Washington Post editorial said this morning because of the failures of the Obama Administration in terms of getting rid of the chemical weapons, in terms of basically allowing russia to be engaged and on the ground in syria. Okay, but with all due respect, sir, you didnt answer my question. Does secretary of state tillersons statement basically that syria is going to decide whether or not assad is the ruler and the United States is not going to have anything to do with it, which marco rubio says is one of the reasons why assad felt emboldened . No, i listened to what nikki haley said today at the United Nations, that the United States may need to act and i listened to President Trump and his statements today along similar lines. While were talking about nikki haley, listened to her this morning at the u. N. Security council. And russia has shielded assad from u. N. Sanctions. How many more children have to die before russia cares . Nikki haley taking putin to task there. President trump did not mention russia or putin in his statement. Why not, do you think . Well, im not sure why not. Look, putin is actively involved and is providing basically cover for assad through his involvement in syria. Its that much more difficult of a situation now on the ground. I thought nikki haley gave a very strong speech and talked about the need for action, and its time for people not just at the United Nations but around the world to say we need to do more. This activity must stop, and it may be important for the United States to step in. The last time with president obama when he first asserted the red line and then ultimately said any attack would have been just a pinprick, that is not the kind of Decisive Action that would deter additional attacks like assad has been doing now in syria to his own people. Senator, stay with us. Were going to take a very quick break. I want to talk about the fact that there is this other burgeoning word crisis having to do with north korea. Stay with us. Well take a quick break. Thank you. Thank you. People confuse nice and kind but theyre different. Its nice to remove artificial ingredients. Kind never had to. Weve used real ingredients, whole nuts, and Natural Flavors from the very beginning. Give kind a try. [ sighs ] hey, i was using that. What, you think we own stock in the Electric Company . I will turn this car around right now theres nobody back there. I was becoming my father. [ clears throat ] its. Been an adjustment, but were making it work. You know, progressive. Com makes it easy for us to get the right home insurance. [ snoring ] progressive cant protect you from becoming your parents, but we can protect your home and auto. [ chuckles ] all right. Welcome back to the lead. Were sticking with the world lead. Still have with us senator John Barrasso, member of the Senate ForeignRelations Committee. Lets turn to north korea and the latest Missile Launch. Response to secretary of state tillerson was surprisingly brief. He said in his paper statement, quote, north korea launched yet another intermediate range ballistic missile. The United States has spoken enough about north korea. We have no further comment. Translate that for us. What message is the u. S. Sending with in a . What message should the u. S. Be sending . Well, the message that we are sending, i believe, is that the north Korean Leader wants attention, wants credibility, and i think the less you say the better about that. North koreas capacity is increase, and if you want to deter somebody you have to use what we have is our own capacity which is significant, our willingness to use that capacity, our commitment to do that, and i believe were ready to do that. We have defensive missiles now deployed into the areas of south korea and in japan, and then you have to communicate your willingness to take action. Now were seeing that in a much different way than weve seen in the previous administration. I think the north Korean Leader needs to recognize that, but additionally the president of china is visiting with President Trump this week. China has a consequential role to pl