The Trump administration announced in May it would start arming the Kurds in anticipation of the fight to retake Raqqa. Officials at both agencies, who would normally be informed of changes in U.S. policy toward arming the Syrian Kurds, said they were unaware of any changes. His comments appeared to suggest the possibility that changes in the level and type of U.S. military support for the Syrian Kurds could be coming. But the United States has tried to draw a distinction between the PKK and the Syrian Kurds across the border, while Turkey insists they're essentially the same. Washington's support for the Syrian Kurds, in particular, has been a major thorn in U.S.-Turkish relations for several years, given Turkey's concerns about the Kurds' territorial aspirations.

Source: ABC News November 24, 2017 16:45 UTC