It looks like President Trump is making moves to pull American troops out of yet another foreign conflict. The Pentagon is reportedly drafting plans for a full U.S. military withdrawal from Syria, according to two defense officials. The groundwork comes amid ongoing White House deliberations about scaling back American deployments throughout the Middle East.
Trump’s newly appointed national security advisor, Mike Waltz, recently visited U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) headquarters in Tampa, Florida, where he received briefings on military operations in the region. His visit coincided with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s meeting at the White House, while Jordan’s King Abdullah is set to visit Washington in the coming days.
The Pentagon is expected to unveil comprehensive withdrawal plans spanning 30, 60 and 90 days, according to NBC News:
Last Thursday, a reporter asked Trump at an Oval Office media event about reports he had informed the Israeli government about pulling U.S. troops out of Syria.
“I don’t know who said that. I mean, I don’t know who said that, but we’ll make a determination on that. We’re not getting, we’re not involved in Syria,” Trump replied. “Syria is its own mess. They got enough messes over there. They don’t need us involved in everyone.”
This isn’t the first time Trump has attempted a pullout from Syria. Back in 2019, he ordered then-Defense Secretary James Mattis to execute a full drawdown—an order Mattis vehemently opposed, ultimately resigning in protest. While Trump initially withdrew most forces, redeployments over time kept U.S. military presence alive. Official figures released in December estimate around 2,000 American troops are currently in Syria—more than double the previously disclosed number of 900. The Pentagon insists these additional forces are just “temporary rotational troops” on short-term missions.
The official U.S. mission in Syria is counterterrorism, specifically focused on containing ISIS and backing the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). These Kurdish militias remain crucial in securing detention centers housing over 50,000 people, including 9,000 ISIS fighters. Defense officials warn that a full withdrawal could create a security vacuum, leading to mass prison breaks and a potential ISIS resurgence. (RELATED: Trump Releases Video Of US Airstrike On ISIS, Sends Unmistakable Message To Terrorists)
CENTCOM recently carried out an airstrike in northwest Syria, targeting Muhammad Salah al-Za’bir—a key figure in the al-Qaeda-affiliated Hurras al-Din—highlighting the continued presence of U.S. air assets in the region.
Meanwhile, Syria’s political landscape has undergone a massive upheaval. In a shocking turn of events, the insurgent Islamist coalition Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) overthrew Bashar al-Assad’s government in December, seizing control of the country. HTS, a breakaway faction of al-Qaeda’s former Syrian branch, now claims to be Syria’s new ruling authority. Its leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa (Abu Mohammad al-Jolani), has vowed to establish a transitional government and hold elections within four years. (RELATED: Syria’s New Justice Minister ‘Oversaw Execution Of Women For Prostitution’)
Diplomatically, the U.S. has taken a major step: In December, American officials engaged in direct talks with HTS representatives—the first formal U.S.-Syria negotiations in over a decade. Discussions reportedly centered on stabilizing the country in the wake of Assad’s ouster and shaping Syria’s post-war future.
Trump’s decision to pull out could mark a turning point—not just for Syria, but for America’s entire footprint in the Middle East.
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U.S. Leaving Syria? Now that Assad is overthrown the way is clear for Greater Israel expansion. Most of Syria is included in that plan developed in 1949. Surprised Trump met with Netanyahu? Trump converted to Judaism in 2017. His goal? Make Israel GREATER.