United States President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday the completion of the final withdrawal of U.S. armed forces from Iraq, telling guests assembled at the White House: “We’re getting the hell out of there.” Trump characterized the protracted conflict in Iraq as a multi-decade “quagmire,” adding that “soon, this chapter in history will be closed.” He emphasized that Iraq was “a place that maybe we shouldn’t have entered in the first place.”
President Trump framed the withdrawal milestone as “a victory for the United States, a victory for Iraq, and a decisive victory over ISIS.” He continued: “This orderly departure of coalition forces and equipment from Erbil Air Base marks the conclusion of a very expensive trip to hell.” The President delivered these remarks during a Hispanic Heritage celebration held at the White House.
Trump drew stark contrasts between the conflict in Iraq—which spanned over two decades and claimed the lives of approximately 4,500 American service members—and more rapid military campaigns, referencing Operation “Epic Fury” against Iran, which he stated lasted just six months with 18 casualties, as well as an engagement involving Venezuela that concluded in 148 minutes. Reaffirming his foreign policy doctrine, the President pledged that “the confrontation with Iran will end very quickly, one way or another, and will not drag on for decades.”