Trump visits troops in Iraq, defends Syria withdrawal: ‘We …
In an unannounced trip to Iraq on Wednesday, President Donald Trump staunchly defended his decision to withdraw U.S. forces from neighboring Syria despite a drumbeat of criticism from military officials and allies who don't think the job fighting Islamic State militants there is over.
Trump, making his first presidential visit to troops in a troubled region, said it's because the U.S. military had all but eliminated IS-controlled territory in both Iraq and Syria that he decided to withdraw 2,000 forces from Syria. He said the decision to leave Syria showed America's renewed stature on the world stage and his quest to put "America first."
"We're no longer the suckers, folks," Trump told U.S. servicemen and women at al-Asad Airbase in western Iraq, about 100 miles or 60 kilometers west of Baghdad. "We're respected again as a nation."
The decision to pull U.S. forces from Syria, however, stunned national security advisers and U.S. allies and prompted the resignations of Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, who was not on the trip, and the U.S. envoy to the coalition fighting the Islamic extremist group. The militant group, also known as ISIS, has lost nearly all its territory in Iraq and Syria but is still seen as a threat.
Iraq declared IS defeated within its borders in December 2017, but Trump's trip was shrouded in secrecy, which has been standard practice for presidents flying into conflict areas.
Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images
President Donald Trump signs a hatbeside First Lady Melania Trump during an unannounced trip to Al Asad Air Base in Iraq onDec. 26, 2018.
President Donald Trump signs a hatbeside First Lady Melania Trump during an unannounced trip to Al Asad Air Base in Iraq onDec. 26, 2018.
Air Force One, lights out and window shutters drawn, flew overnight from Washington, landing at an airbase west of Baghdad in darkness Wednesday evening. George W. Bush made four trips to Iraq as president and President Barack Obama made one.
During his three-plus hours on the ground, Trump did not meet with any Iraqi officials, but spoke on the phone with Iraqi Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi.
Trump's visit appeared to have inflamed sensitivities about the continued presence of U.S. forces in Iraq. The two major blocs in the Iraqi parliament both condemned the visit, likening it to a violation of Iraqi sovereignty.
The airbase where Trump spoke is about 155 miles from Hajin, a Syrian town near the Iraqi border where Kurdish fighters are still battling IS extremists. Trump has said IS militants have been eradicated, but the latest estimate is that IS still holds about 60 square miles of territory in that region of Syria, although fighters also fled the area and are in hiding in other pockets of the country.
Mattis was supposed to continue leading the Pentagon until late February but Trump moved up his exit and announced that Patrick Shanahan, deputy defense secretary, would take the job on Jan. 1 and he was in "no rush" to nominate a new defense chief.
"Everybody and his uncle wants that position," Trump told reporters traveling with him in Iraq. "And also, by the way, everybody and her aunt, just so I won't be criticized."
Critics said the U.S. exit from Syria, the latest in Trump's increasingly isolationist-style foreign policy, would provide an opening for IS to regroup, give Iran a green light to expand its influence in the region and leave U.S.-backed Kurdish forces vulnerable to attacks from Turkey.
Andrew Harnik/AP
President Donald Trump, accompanied by National Security Adviser John Bolton, third from left, first lady Melania Trump, fourth from right, U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Doug Silliman, third from right, and senior military leadership, speaks to members of the media at Al Asad Air Base, Iraq, on Dec. 26, 2018.
President Donald Trump, accompanied by National Security Adviser John Bolton, third from left, first lady Melania Trump, fourth from right, U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Doug Silliman, third from right, and senior military leadership, speaks to members of the media at Al Asad Air Base, Iraq, on Dec. 26, 2018.
"I made it clear from the beginning that our mission in Syria was to strip ISIS of its military strongholds," said Trump, who wore an olive green bomber style jacket as he was welcomed by chants of "USA! USA!" and speakers blaring Lee Greenwood's song, "God Bless the USA."
"We'll be watching ISIS very closely," said Trump, who was joined by first lady Melania Trump, but no members of his Cabinet or lawmakers. "We'll be watching them very, very closely, the remnants of ISIS"
Trump also said he had no plans to withdraw the 5,200 U.S. forces in Iraq. That's down from about 170,000 in 2007 at the height of the surge of U.S. forces to combat sectarian violence unleashed by the U.S.-led invasion to topple dictator Saddam Hussein.
Trump spoke on the phone with the prime minister, but the White House said security concerns and the short notice of the trip prevented the president from meeting him face-to-face.
The prime minister's office said "differences in points of view over the arrangements" prevented the two from meeting but they discussed security issues and Trump's order to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria over the phone. His office also did not say whether he had accepted an invitation to the White House.
Trump said that after U.S. troops in Syria return home, Iraq could still be used to stage attacks on IS militants.
"We can use this as a base if we wanted to do something in Syria," he said. "If we see something happening with ISIS that we don't like, we can hit them so fast and so hard" that they "really won't know what the hell happened."
Trump said it's time to leave Syria because the U.S. should not be involved in nation-building, and that other wealthy nations should shoulder the cost of rebuilding Syria. He also said Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has agreed to battle "any remnants of ISIS" in Syria, which shares a border with Turkey.
"The nations of the regions must step up and take more responsibility for their future," Trump said, promising a "strong deliberate and orderly withdrawal" of forces from Syria
Trump, who speaks often about his support for the U.S. military, had faced criticism for not yet visiting U.S. troops stationed in harm's way as he comes up on his two-year mark in office. He told The Associated Press in October that he "will do that at some point, but I don't think it's overly necessary." He later began to signal that such a troop visit was in the offing.
Trump told reporters that he had planned to make the trip three or four weeks ago, but word of the trip started getting out and forced him to postpone it.
Iraqi leaders declared an end to combat operations against IS a year ago but the country's political, military and economic situation remains uncertain. It continues to experience sporadic bombings, kidnappings and assassinations, which most people attribute to IS.
On Dec. 15, the U.S.-led coalition launched an airstrike in support of Iraqi troops who were chasing IS fighters toward a tunnel west of Mosul. The strike destroyed the tunnel entrance and killed four IS fighters, according to the U.S. military in Baghdad. The last U.S. service member to die in Iraq was in August, as the result of a helicopter crash in Sinjar.
The Iraqi prime minister recently said Iraqi troops could deploy into Syria to protect Iraq from threats across its borders. Iraq keeps reinforcements along its frontier to guard against infiltration by IS militants, who hold a pocket of territory along the Euphrates River.
Trump had planned to spend Christmas at his private club in Florida, but stayed behind in Washington due to the partial government shutdown.
Trump campaigned for office on a platform of ending U.S. involvement in foreign trouble spots, such as Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq. The Pentagon is also said to be developing plans to withdraw up to half of the 14,000 American troops still serving in Afghanistan.
Associated Press writers Deb Riechmann and Lolita C. Baldor in Washington and Philip Issa in Baghdad contributed to this report.
Read more from the original source:
Trump visits troops in Iraq, defends Syria withdrawal: 'We ...
- Tony Blair was urged to delay US invasion of Iraq, archives reveal - The Times - July 22nd, 2025 [July 22nd, 2025]
- Britain told US that invading Iraq could cost Blair his premiership, papers reveal - The Guardian - July 22nd, 2025 [July 22nd, 2025]
- Iraq Syndrome is dead, why PBS & NPR had to go and other commentary - New York Post - July 22nd, 2025 [July 22nd, 2025]
- Turkey submits draft proposal to Iraq to renew, expand energy agreement - Reuters - July 22nd, 2025 [July 22nd, 2025]
- Watch Turkey to Seek New Oil Deal With Iraq on Idled Pipeline - Bloomberg.com - July 22nd, 2025 [July 22nd, 2025]
- Turkey Eyes New Deal with Iraq on Idled Oil Pipeline - Rigzone - July 22nd, 2025 [July 22nd, 2025]
- It was politically impossible for UK to draw back from Iraq War, new files claim - The Independent - July 22nd, 2025 [July 22nd, 2025]
- Trkiyes oil agreement with top exporter Iraq ends by 2026heres what we know - Trkiye Today - July 22nd, 2025 [July 22nd, 2025]
- UK warned US that Iraq war could topple Tony Blair - The New Arab - July 22nd, 2025 [July 22nd, 2025]
- Why Turkey ended the oil pipeline pact with Iraq - Arabian Gulf Business Insight | AGBI - July 22nd, 2025 [July 22nd, 2025]
- Trkiye seeks new Iraq deal as it ends over 50-year oil pipeline pact | Daily Sabah - Daily Sabah - July 22nd, 2025 [July 22nd, 2025]
- Turkey Seeks New Deal with Iraq to Revive Kirkuk-Ceyhan Oil Pipeline - Pipeline and Gas Journal - July 22nd, 2025 [July 22nd, 2025]
- Register today to embark on a Spiritual and Educational Journey to Iraq - Imam Mahdi Association of Marjaeya - July 22nd, 2025 [July 22nd, 2025]
- Iraq makes 'decisive findings' about drone attacks without identifying who targeted its bases - ABC News - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- Iraq works to rein in culprits after sequence of drone attacks on energy and oil sites - Yahoo Home - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- Iraq Set for Key Oil Cargo Surge in Sign of Increased Output - Bloomberg.com - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- Officials try to identify 18 bodies in deadly Iraq shopping mall fire - ABC News - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- Pope offers condolences, prayers for victims of Iraq fire - Vatican News - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- Nutley Mayor John Kelly to deploy with NJ National Guard to Iraq next month - Bergen Record - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- Nutley Township mayor set to be deployed to Iraq - News 12 - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- Iraq concludes 2025 wheat marketing season with over 6.5 million tons stored - Iraqi News - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- Iraq Set for Key Oil Cargo Surge in Sign of Increased Output - gCaptain - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- More than 60 die in fire at newly opened shopping mall in Iraq - The Guardian - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- PKK member killed in Iraq by unidentified drone - The Jerusalem Post - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- Vacuum of power: What follows the PKKs fade from Iraq? | Daily Sabah - Daily Sabah - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- Over 10 years after ISIS takeover, Iraq's Mosul Airport reopens: What to know - AL-Monitor - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- Drones Hit Oil Fields in Northern Iraq in Spree of Attacks - Bloomberg.com - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- Iraq makes 'decisive findings' about drone attacks without identifying who targeted its bases - Indiana Gazette Online - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- Iraq urges Turkiye to act in most severe water scarcity in decades - Shafaq News - - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- Earthquake Strikes Duhok Province in Northern Iraq... - jordannews.jo - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- Sixty people killed in mall fire in al-Kut city, eastern Iraq - The Jerusalem Post - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- Crude Oil Prices Erase Early Gains On The Outlook For Iraq To Boost Crude Exports - Barchart.com - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- Investigating deadly Iraq fire and assessing situation in Syria - BBC - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- Drone attacks on oil fields in Iraqs Kurdish region shut down facilities - AP News - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- Over 60 dead after fire rips through shopping mall in Iraq - ABC News - Breaking News, Latest News and Videos - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- Dozens killed as massive fire rips through shopping mall in eastern Iraq - CNN - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- Iraq Agrees on Oil Plan With Kurds in Step Toward Export Deal - Bloomberg - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- Nutley Mayor Kelly to be Deployed to Iraq - TAPinto - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- More than 60 people killed as fire breaks out in newly opened Iraq mall - France 24 - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- Funerals held for victims of mall fire in eastern Iraq - AP News - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- Oil prices barely changed amid disruptions in Iraq and fears of US tariffs - - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- Iraq draws Saudi Arabia and Indonesia in final World Cup playoff as hope and caution collide - Iraqi News - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- Over 60 people killed commercial building fire in Iraq - WPLG Local 10 - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- Fire at newly opened mall in Iraq kills more than 60 people - New York Post - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- A fire at a shopping center in eastern Iraq kills more than 60 people - The Journal Gazette - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- Iraq turns to solar energy with 535 government projects and citizen incentives - bne IntelliNews - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- International community offers condolences and support to Iraq after deadly Wasit shopping center fire - Iraqi News - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- "Our goal is to make microgreens accessible to every household in Iraq" - Hortidaily - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- Dozens killed in fire at brand-new mall in Iraq - The Washington Post - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- Newly opened mall in eastern Iraq in ruins after fire which killed dozens - The Lufkin Daily News - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- Fire tears through Iraq shopping centre, killing at least 60 video report - The Guardian - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- UAE Expresses Solidarity with Iraq and Conveys Condolences over Fire at Shopping Mall - Yemen Online - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- 60 Killed, Many Injured As Huge Fire Breaks Out At Shopping Mall In Iraq - NDTV - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- More than 60 killed in fire at Iraq shopping mall - nhk.or.jp - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- Shopping centre fire in Iraq kills more than 60 people - The Globe and Mail - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- Drone Strikes in Northern Iraq: A Geopolitical Gamble with Oil and Defense - AInvest - July 16th, 2025 [July 16th, 2025]
- How does the PKKs disarmament affect Turkey, Syria and Iraq? - The Conversation - July 16th, 2025 [July 16th, 2025]
- Oilfields in northern Iraq halt operations following drone attacks - Iraqi News - July 16th, 2025 [July 16th, 2025]
- U.S. Firm Steps Up As Iraq Fast-Tracks New Floating LNG Terminal - Crude Oil Prices Today | OilPrice.com - July 16th, 2025 [July 16th, 2025]
- "Our goal is to make microgreens accessible to every household in Iraq" - Vertical Farm Daily - July 16th, 2025 [July 16th, 2025]
- Kurdish separatist fighters in Iraq begin laying down weapons as part of peace process with Turkey - AP News - July 16th, 2025 [July 16th, 2025]
- Several oil fields shut in Iraq's KRG after 3rd drone strike this week | Daily Sabah - Daily Sabah - July 16th, 2025 [July 16th, 2025]
- Drone strikes target three oil fields in northern Iraq - Latest news from Azerbaijan - July 16th, 2025 [July 16th, 2025]
- Kurdish PKK militants begin handing over weapons in cave in Iraq - NBC News - July 16th, 2025 [July 16th, 2025]
- Trkiyes exports to neighbors rise as Iraq leads with $5 billion trade - Trkiye Today - July 16th, 2025 [July 16th, 2025]
- Iraq achieves self-sufficiency in wheat for third year in a row - Iraqi News - July 16th, 2025 [July 16th, 2025]
- Former Harrier pilot who served in Iraq appointed RAF chief - The Telegraph - July 16th, 2025 [July 16th, 2025]
- In Iraq, drought threatens water supply and ancient heritage - France 24 - July 16th, 2025 [July 16th, 2025]
- Iraq seeks to foster ties with Islamic Azad University in emerging technologies - Tehran Times - July 16th, 2025 [July 16th, 2025]
- Azerbaijan and Iraq expand legal cooperation through high-level judicial talks [PHOTOS] - AzerNews - July 16th, 2025 [July 16th, 2025]
- Kurdish PKK militants burn weapons in Iraq to launch disarmament - Reuters - July 14th, 2025 [July 14th, 2025]
- Iran is losing its stranglehold over Iraq - The Economist - July 14th, 2025 [July 14th, 2025]
- Erdoan calls for Turkish-Kurdish-Arab alliance, as PKK holds disarmament ceremony in Iraq - World Socialist Web Site - July 14th, 2025 [July 14th, 2025]
- Kurdish separatist fighters in Iraq begin laying down weapons as part of peace process with Turkey - ABC News - Breaking News, Latest News and Videos - July 14th, 2025 [July 14th, 2025]
- Iraq to establish first seed bank in the region - Iraqi News - July 14th, 2025 [July 14th, 2025]
- In a ceremony Friday in Iraq members of the Kurdish rebel group PKK destroyed their weapons - IslanderNews.com - July 14th, 2025 [July 14th, 2025]
- Kurdish PKK fighters burn their weapons at disarmament ceremony in Iraq - The Times of Israel - July 14th, 2025 [July 14th, 2025]
- Russia, Myanmar, Somalia, Iraq, Lebanon, and Venezuela Designated Extreme Risk Zone as US Urges Citizens to Cancel All Travel Plans This Summer: Heres... - July 14th, 2025 [July 14th, 2025]
- PKK terrorists begin disarming in Iraq as 1st step toward dissolution | Daily Sabah - Daily Sabah - July 14th, 2025 [July 14th, 2025]
- Kurdish PKK militants begin handing over weapons in northern Iraq - The Arab Weekly - July 14th, 2025 [July 14th, 2025]