WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on President Donald Trump and Syria (all times local):
11:10 a.m.
The White House says the U.S. military mission to eradicate the Islamic State in Syria is coming to a “rapid end” but offers no timetable for withdrawal.
President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he wants to bring troops home to start rebuilding the U.S.
White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Wednesday that the U.S. and its partners remain committed to eliminating the small Islamic State group presence that continues in Syria.
Sanders says the administration will continue to consult with allies regarding future plans.
Trump discussed Syria in a meeting with his national security team on Tuesday.
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9:20 a.m.
The director of national intelligence says the White House will announce a decision about U.S. involvement in Syria “relatively soon.”
Dan Coats told reporters Wednesday that top national security officials met Tuesday in an “all hands on deck” meeting and that “some decisions were made.”
President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he expects to decide “very quickly” whether to remove U.S. troops from war-torn Syria, saying their primary mission was to defeat the Islamic State group and “we’ve almost completed that task.”
Trump’s comments conflict with views of his top military advisers, some of who spoke at a separate event in Washington about the need to stay in Iraq and Syria to finish off the militant group, which once controlled large swaths of territory in both countries.
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12:11 a.m.
President Donald Trump expects to decide very quickly whether to remove U.S. troops from war-torn Syria, saying their primary mission of defeating the Islamic State group is almost completed.
Trump’s comments at a White House event on Tuesday conflict with views of his top military advisers, some of who spoke at a separate event in Washington about the need to stay in Iraq and Syria to finish off the militant group.
Later on Tuesday, Trump met with his national security team to discuss Syria.
According to officials familiar with the preparations for the meeting, Trump’s entire national security team strongly advised against a hasty withdrawal from Syria. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal talks.
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