The Pentagon is actively preparing plans to withdraw all U.S. troops from Syria, according to two U.S. defense officials. This development follows President Donald Trump’s renewed push to end America’s prolonged involvement in the region.
Officials say the Defense Department has been tasked with drafting 30, 60, and 90-day withdrawal plans, marking a significant shift in U.S. foreign policy.
Trump: Syria Is Not America’s Problem
When asked by reporters last Thursday about reports that he had informed Israel of a withdrawal plan, Trump was blunt.
“I don’t know who said that… We’re not getting involved in Syria. Syria is its own mess. They got enough messes over there. They don’t need us involved in every one.”
This stance is consistent with Trump’s long-standing position. Back in 2019, he ordered a full withdrawal, leading to the resignation of then-Defense Secretary James Mattis. While most troops were pulled, some were later redeployed under pressure from the Pentagon.
Currently, 2,000 U.S. troops remain in Syria, double the 900 that had been reported for years. The extra forces were labeled as “temporary rotational forces”, with deployments lasting 30 to 90 days.
Pentagon Officials Push Back
The Pentagon argues that a U.S. withdrawal could destabilize the region and leave America’s Kurdish allies, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), vulnerable. The SDF has been instrumental in defeating ISIS, but they rely heavily on U.S. support.
“Without U.S. forces, the SDF could shift focus to offensive operations and abandon prisons housing thousands of ISIS fighters,” one defense official warned.
Syria still holds 50,000 detainees, including 9,000 ISIS fighters. If these camps collapse, ISIS could regroup—a scenario the Pentagon sees as a direct threat to U.S. national security.
New Power Players in Syria
Adding to the complexity, the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in December allowed Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) to seize power. Led by Ahmed al-Sharaa (formerly known as Abu Mohammad al-Jolani), HTS emerged from Jabhat al-Nusra, an Al Qaeda-linked faction.
Al-Sharaa has positioned himself as Syria’s new de facto leader and has pledged to hold elections within four years. In a stunning diplomatic shift, senior Biden officials met with HTS representatives in late December, marking the first formal U.S.-Syria talks in over a decade.
A Turning Point for U.S. Foreign Policy
Trump’s America First approach is once again putting U.S. interests first. After years of endless wars, he is determined to cut America’s losses in Syria.
But the big question remains: Will the deep state let it happen? The Pentagon has resisted troop withdrawals before. Will they fall in line this time?
One thing is clear—Trump isn’t backing down. The era of foreign entanglements is coming to an end.
