The U.S. Department of Defense is reportedly preparing strategies to remove all American troops from Syria, according to a report by NBC News on Wednesday, citing two U.S. defense officials.
The move comes after President Donald Trump and his advisers signaled a renewed interest in ending the U.S. military presence in the region. In response, Pentagon officials have started formulating withdrawal plans with potential timelines of 30, 60, or 90 days, the report stated.
Trump previously slammed the Syrian opposition’s push to seize Damascus, warning the previous Biden administration in December against any intervention. In a Truth Social post from December, he wrote, “Opposition fighters in Syria, in an unprecedented move, have totally taken over numerous cities, in a highly coordinated offensive, and are now on the outskirts of Damascus, obviously preparing to make a very big move toward taking out Assad. Russia, because they are so tied up in Ukraine, and with the loss there of over 600,000 soldiers, seems incapable of stopping this literal march through Syria, a country they have protected for years.”
“This is where former President Obama refused to honor his commitment of protecting the RED LINE IN THE SAND, and all hell broke out, with Russia stepping in. But now they are, like possibly Assad himself, being forced out, and it may actually be the best thing that can happen to them... In any event, Syria is a mess, but is not our friend, & THE UNITED STATES SHOULD HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH IT. THIS IS NOT OUR FIGHT. LET IT PLAY OUT. DO NOT GET INVOLVED!”
The news comes following the deaths of three US Service members in Jordan in January, while more than 40 other service members were injured after an uncrewed aerial system attack at a military base near the Syrian border.
Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh said that in addition to the three deaths, more than 40 service members were also injured in the attack. Of those, eight had to be evacuated.
The situation in Syria has intensified in recent months, with opposition forces, led by the U.S.-designated terror group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, launching an offensive against Bashar al-Assad’s regime.
During his first term, Trump formulated a plan to withdraw from Afghanistan. President Joe Biden implemented his own plan for a withdrawal in August after he was inaugurated which resulted in the deaths of 13 US service members.
