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Trump Hails End of US Military Presence in Iraq, Calls it 'End of a Very Expensive Excursion'
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CNBC TV18•30-09-2026, 23:58
Trump Hails End of US Military Presence in Iraq, Calls it 'End of a Very Expensive Excursion'
- •US President Donald Trump announced the withdrawal of the last American troops from Iraq, marking the end of a decades-long military presence.
- •Trump described the withdrawal by the September 30 deadline as "orderly" and a victory for the US and Iraq.
- •He characterized the military involvement as "very bad decision-making that got us involved in this quagmire."
- •The President stated the shift signifies a victory over the Islamic State group, which troops had been fighting for twelve years.
- •Trump's comments come as his own decision to launch a war with Iran is being compared to the Iraq war due to its undefined mission.
Key Questions Answered
The United States is set to complete the withdrawal of its remaining forces from Iraq by September 30, 2026, bringing an end to a military presence that began with the 2003 invasion.
The US military presence began with the 2003 invasion to overthrow the government of Saddam Hussein and later involved fighting the Islamic State group for over a decade.
Following the military exit, the relationship will shift toward economic and development cooperation, with US oil and gas companies continuing to operate and sign new agreements in Iraq under a strategy focused on commercial interests.
