Trump cuts troop levels to 2,500 in Iraq and Afghanistan

Washington — At President Donald Trump’s direction, the Pentagon on Tuesday ordered U.S. troop levels reduced to 2,500 in both Iraq and Afghanistan, accelerating a planned drawdown but stopping short of the departing president’s promise to end America’s involvement in the two lengthy conflicts.

Acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller, who last week took over from his fired predecessor and arrived with instructions from Trump to expedite the pullout, said the drawdown to a small residual force in each country would be achieved by Jan. 15. That is five days before President-elect Joe Biden is to be sworn in as Trump’s successor.

“I am formally announcing that we will implement President Trump’s orders to continue our repositioning of forces from these two countries,” Miller told reporters at a Pentagon news conference. “This is consistent with our established plans and strategic objectives.”

Trump reconsidered a complete troop pullout after pushback in recent days from top commanders and from Republicans in Congress, who said they feared an abrupt exit after two decades of war could embolden the remnants of the Islamic State in Iraq and undercut fragile peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban.

Major military moves by a lame-duck president are unusual, but Trump has refused so far to concede the election and may be seeking to salvage his legacy — and prepare for a 2024 re-run — by further disengaging from the Middle East. That is a course popular with many Americans weary of open-ended wars that have cost the lives of more than 6,900 service members since 2001.

The president had only mixed success during his term at putting in place a national security team that would back his aim of sharp cuts in military forces in the Middle East.