President Trump will make a surprise appearance at the Wednesday meeting of the coalition to defeat the Islamic State, his administration notified allies Tuesday.
Trump’s will address the anti-ISIS coalition just hours after a State of the Union address in which he touted the defeat of the terrorist group and affirmed his intention to withdraw American forces from Syria. The withdrawal order, released unexpectedly in December, rattled other U.S. officials who had predicted a resurgence of the terrorist group in the event that American forces departed abruptly.
“Great nations do not fight endless wars,” Trump declared during his second State of the Union address. “Our approach is based on principled realism.”
Trump’s decision to address the coalition is a welcome development for the allies, a European diplomat observed, noting that they would normally expect to see Vice President Mike Pence or Secretary of State Mike Pompeo at such an event. The speech will provide a platform for touting the international successes against ISIS in recent years, though it remains to be seen if the president will be able to reassure allies troubled by the prospect of an American exit after months of coordinating an alternative strategy.
“Really difficult to say,” the diplomat told the Washington Examiner. “It will be seen after he delivers his remarks. It depends what’s in there.”
White House officials did not reply to a request for comment. The State Department directed questions about the president’s schedule to the White House.
