Trump says US troops will tackle final Isil fighters

DONALD TRUMP has declared that US troops will stay in Syria to fight the last remaining Isil militants, apparently backtracking on his promise of a hasty withdrawal.

In noticeably more measured language on the subject, the president said on Twitter that America was “slowly” sending troops home, while “at the same time fighting Isis remnants”.

The shift followed a key ally’s announcement that the Pentagon had put the troop drawdown on “pause”.

Mr Trump startled many with his announcement on Dec 19 that he was ordering the 2,000 troops out of Syria – a decision that caused James Mattis, his defence secretary, to resign.

Mr Mattis handed over to Patrick Shanahan, his deputy, shortly before midnight last night. The president, cooped up in the White House on New Year’s Eve while his wife Melania saw in the new year at Mar-a-lago without him, issued a volley of tweets yesterday bemoaning criticism of the withdrawal.

“I am the only person in America who could say that ‘I’m bringing our great troops back home, with victory’, and get BAD press,” he said.

Lindsey Graham, the senator for South Carolina, said after a lunch with the president that he was encouraged by their encounter, and said a “pause” had been placed on the withdrawal.

“I think we’re slowing things down in a smart way,” he said. “We talked about Syria and he told me some things that I didn’t know that make me feel a lot better about where we’re headed in Syria. He promised to destroy Isis. He’s going to keep that promise.”