Donald Trump
Donald TrumpReuters

US evangelicals, generally supportive of President Donald Trump, are breaking sharply with him over his planned Syria pullout, saying the move will leave Syrian Christians vulnerable to attack.

Among the groups criticizing Trump's Syria plan is the Family Research Council, a conservative evangelical organization with a mission of advancing "faith, family, and freedom in public policy and the culture from a Christian worldview." In the past, the group has actively supported Christians overseas who face persecution.

In a statement on its website, two senior officials of the organization wrote that a withdrawal of US troops from northern Syria could put Syrian Christians "in mortal danger" and deal "an incalculable blow ... to our reputation as a supporter of religious freedom worldwide."

One of the authors, Lt. Gen. (Ret.) William G. Boykin, said last year that "God's imprint" was evident in Trump's election. But in a Fox News interview last month, Boykin warned that Trump was "on dangerous ground" with his Syria plans.