President Trump makes surprise visit to Iraq with Melania in tow, says America is respected again
During a surprise visit on Wednesday, President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump celebrated Christmas with US troops and senior military leadership at Al Asad Air Base in western Iraq.
Addressing service members at the base, Trump congratulated them for major military gains against the Islamic State terror outfit and said it was because of their efforts that he can withdraw 2,000 forces from Syria. "We're no longer the suckers, folks," he told them. "We're respected again as a nation."
However, Trump also said during his first visit to the troubled region that currently he has "no plans at all" to remove the 5,000 US troops from the country. The commander-in-chief's first visit to a combat zone came just days after his announcement about pulling troops out of Syria and speculation that he also plans to remove thousands of troops from Afghanistan, Fox News reports.
.@FLOTUS Melania and I were honored to visit our incredible troops at Al Asad Air Base in Iraq. GOD BLESS THE U.S.A.! pic.twitter.com/rDlhITDvm1
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 26, 2018