When the special envoy for the global coalition to defeat ISIS quit in protest of Donald Trump’s recent move to pull troops out of Syria, the President decided to use a familiar line of defense. He said he didn’t know McGurk.

CNN’s Brianna Keilar replied:

This is a very big deal. And if President Trump doesn’t know Brent McGurk that’s not a demonstration that McGurk’s departure is a nothing burger, it’s a demonstration the president has a stunning disinterest in the foreign policy of his country.

Conservative political commentator S.E. Cupp replied:

No. Brett McGurk has done more to fight off ISIS than any in your administration. You should know him, and it’s truly terrifying that you don’t. There’s nothing fake about his resignation. It’s yet another sign you don’t know what you’re doing.

Susan Rice, former National Security Advisor under Barack Obama said:

The fact that you say you don’t know @brett_mcgurk speaks volumes about your commitment to fighting ISIS @realDonaldTrump. Why don’t you know the man who has done more than any civilian to degrade ISIS? I can assure you @BarackObama knows him well.

Jay Carney, former press secretary under Barack Obama also offered this fact check:

Actually, after he clerked for Chief Justice Rehnquist in 2001, McGurk was appointed by George W. Bush to be special assistant to the president and senior director at the NSC for Iraq & Afghanistan. He served under both Bush and Obama. Like Bob Gates.

The New York Times reported on what McGurk wrote upon resigning:

“The recent decision by the president came as a shock and was a complete reversal of policy that was articulated to us,” Mr. McGurk said in the email to his colleagues. “It left our coalition partners confused and our fighting partners bewildered,” he added.

“I worked this week to help manage some of the fallout but — as many of you heard in my meetings and phone calls — I ultimately concluded that I could not carry out these new instructions and maintain my integrity,” he said.