The White House played down reports that President Trump wants to pull American troops out of Syria when ISIS is defeated, instead saying future plans will be determined later.
“The military mission to eradicate ISIS in Syria is coming to a rapid end, with ISIS being almost completely destroyed. The United States and our partners remain committed to eliminating the small ISIS presence in Syria that our forces have not already eradicated,” said White House press secretary Sarah Sanders.
“We will continue to consult with our allies and friends regarding future plans. We expect countries in the region and beyond, plus the United Nations, to work toward peace and ensure that ISIS never re-emerges.”
The Washington Post reported earlier in the day that Trump is telling military leaders to prepare for a withdrawal, but for now troops will continue the fight against the remnants of the terror group and provide assistance to local forces on the ground, the Washington Post reported.
Trump gave no timeline for the withdrawal, but the Pentagon estimates about 3,000 Islamic State fighters remain in Syria and the president said Tuesday the group is nearly “100 percent” defeated.
“I want to get out. I want to bring our troops back home,” Trump said during a press conference at the White House on Tuesday.
In a later meeting with national security advisers, Trump reportedly said he expects wealthy Arab countries to take the lead in rebuilding the war-torn country.
He mentioned ally Saudi Arabia by name Tuesday and suggested troops might remain in Syria if it provided funding.
“We’ve almost completed that task [of defeating ISIS] and we’ll be making a determination very quickly, in coordination with others in the area, as to what we’ll do,” Trump said during the conference with leaders of Baltic nations. “Saudi Arabia is very interested in our decision, and I said, ‘Well, you know, you want us to stay, maybe you’re going to have to pay.’”
The president may have broken with his top military leaders. Gen. Joseph Votel, the head of U.S. Central Command who oversees the war effort, said Tuesday the U.S. military should have an enduring presence in the country after the Islamic State is defeated and should help with security and rebuilding.
“A lot of very good military progress made over the last couple years,” said U.S. Central Commander Gen. Joseph Votel. “But again, the hard part I think is in front of us, and that is stabilizing these areas, consolidating our gains, getting people back into their homes, addressing the long-term issues of reconstruction and other things that will have to be done.”
