23 years later, the United States is completely withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq.
The news broke early this morning from the War Department, signaling the formal end of the U.S. mission in Iraq, closing one of the longest and most disastrous chapters of America’s post-9/11 foreign policy.
The war began in 2003 under President George W. Bush, but more than two decades later, President Donald Trump is the one overseeing the final withdrawal of the last remaining American forces from the country.
He’s bringing them all home. It was finally happening.
Nearly 4,500 U.S. service members lost their lives during the Iraq War.
Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell released a lengthy statement outlining exactly what was happening and what the end of the mission means for the future relationship between the United States and Iraq.
PARNELL: “Today, the United States and our Coalition partners formally concluded Operation Inherent Resolve in Iraq, consistent with the September 2024 U.S.-Iraq joint statement and U.S. national interests.”
The immediate military mission has now come to an end, with Coalition forces and equipment departing Erbil Air Base.
“The orderly departure of Coalition forces and equipment from Erbil Air Base marks the successful conclusion of the military mission that defeated ISIS in Iraq.”
“This milestone reflects the success of a 12-year campaign that defeated ISIS as an organized military threat in Iraq and across the region. It also marks a transition from a wartime coalition mission to an Iraqi-led security effort supported by a more normal bilateral security relationship.”
Later, President Trump announced the withdrawal himself during an event for Hispanic Americans at the White House.
And judging by the reaction in the room, the announcement was exactly the kind of news his audience wanted to hear.
TRUMP: “I wanted to announce something that I’m also very proud of. Today I am pleased to announce that the last American forces are leaving Iraq.”
[Crowd erupts into cheers and applause]
Trump didn’t hold back at all, describing the Iraq War in much harsher terms, calling the decades-long conflict a “quagmire” and exposing how America’s involvement stemmed from years of bad decision-making.
“It’s been a long time with very bad decision making that got us involved in this quagmire in the first place. It was a quagmire.”
“Many, many years it lasted, but soon that part of history will be over.”
Trump then pointed to the political future of Iraq, praising the country’s new prime minister, Ali al-Zaidi, whom Trump said he had supported from the beginning.
“This is a great day for America and importantly we leave with Iraq having a wonderful new prime minister, Ali al-Zaidi. Fantastic guy, a friend of mine.”
“And somebody I supported from the very beginning and I fully endorsed. He was running for election. He wasn’t given even a chance and I endorsed him, politicked for him a little bit and he ended up winning in a virtual landslide, beating somebody that was not a good person in my opinion.”
“So I’m very proud of him and hopefully he’s going to do a fantastic job.”
After 23 years, the U.S. military mission in Iraq is now officially over.
