DSU professor says airstrike meant to send a signal

President Donald Trump issuing an air strike Thursday on a Syrian air base using his power as commander in chief to bypass approval by Congress, leaving many Americans with unanswered questions.

President Trump saying Thursday, "I ordered a targeted military strike on the airfield in Syria from where the chemical attack was launched."

Dr. Sam Hoff, a Delaware State University political science professor, tells 47 ABC this was out of character for President Trump, saying it's a rather direct reaction to the chemical attack in Syria Monday —

"This isn't really what Donald Trump campaigned on in the sense of being a globalist or internationalist, but what I saw was authentic moral outrage that came by him for what happened and seeing the pictures of the children struggling to breath after the chemical attacks," explains Dr. Hoff.

Although some legislators condemn the air strike saying its unwarranted.

"There is no military solution here. You're not going to be able to bomb your way to peace in Syria. Syrians must work out their problems. President Assad must be held accountable for his war crimes," says Maryland U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin.

Others applaud Trump's action.

Delaware U.S. Sen. Tom Carper says in a statement, "The use of chemical weapons in Syria is unacceptable under any circumstance, and I believe the administration's measured response was appropriate."

Whether you agree or disagree with this attack, Dr. Hoff says this does shake up the relationship between the U.S. and Russia.

"In many ways this is a symbolic attack meant to send a signal not only to the Assad regime but to Russia their backers and to others who may be contemplating the use of weapons of mass destruction, but particularly chemical weapons."