The US Defense Ministry is planning to withdraw all troops from Syria, according to a report by NBC TV on Wednesday. The Pentagon is considering scenarios that could see the complete withdrawal of troops within 30, 60, or 90 days, sources told the network.
National Security Adviser Mike Waltz visited the United States Central Command headquarters in Tampa, Florida, on Friday, meeting with high-ranking military officials and receiving briefings on the Middle East, the report said. However, a White House official, who remained anonymous, emphasized that the withdrawal from Syria was not a topic of discussion during the visit and that Waltz’s trip was meant to gain a broader understanding of the region.
During a press conference on Thursday, President Donald Trump made it clear that the White House is set to make a decision on the matter.
“We’re not in Syria. Syria is its own mess. They have enough problems. They don’t need us to get involved in everything” Trump said.
In December 2019, Trump ordered then-Defense Secretary James Mattis to withdraw all troops from Syria. Mattis criticized the order and resigned in protest. Trump later redeployed a significant portion of the military contingent back to the US, but later reinserted troops in Syria, maintaining a US presence in the country. According to Pentagon estimates, the United States currently has around 2,000 soldiers stationed in Syria.