October 2, 2026
US President Donald Trump praised, on Wednesday, the departure of the last US forces from Iraq, declaring the end of what he described as a “very costly adventure,” coinciding with the Pentagon officially announcing the conclusion of the “Inherent Resolve” mission in the country.
In a post on the “Truth Social” platform, Trump considered that the departure of the forces came after a long period that witnessed “very bad decisions” that led the United States to become involved in this “dilemma,” stressing that this stage will soon become part of history. Trump described the withdrawal as “a victory for the United States, a victory for Iraq, and a decisive victory over ISIS,” which he claimed had been “completely eliminated” during his first term, along with other parties that he described as very bad and dangerous.
Trump praised Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, considering him an “exceptional” person who had his full support and endorsement from the beginning, expressing his hope that he would be able to manage things very well.
The US President compared the withdrawal process from Iraq to what happened during the withdrawal from Afghanistan, noting that the latter witnessed the abandonment of large quantities of military equipment, in addition to the killing of 13 American soldiers and the serious injury of others. He believed that “the orderly departure of coalition forces and their equipment from Erbil Air Base” represented the end of a costly adventure, adding: “I defined a clear mission, gave our leaders the tools necessary to accomplish it, and refused to allow a temporary presence to turn into a permanent presence.”
For its part, the Pentagon announced, on Wednesday, the completion of the US army’s withdrawal from Iraq and the official conclusion of Operation Inherent Resolve. The ministry explained that the United States and its coalition partners are officially concluding the military mission, noting that the orderly withdrawal of coalition forces and equipment from Erbil Air Base represents the conclusion of these operations.
The Pentagon confirmed that Washington will continue to provide targeted training and intelligence support to its Iraqi partners, at a time when the Iraqi security forces are expected to lead ongoing efforts to secure the country and curb the remnants of ISIS.
Following the American announcement, Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi announced the start of “a new phase entitled Iraqi sovereignty” following the withdrawal of coalition forces. This development comes based on the agreement of Baghdad and Washington in 2024 to gradually end the coalition’s mission in two stages, which included reducing the military presence and transferring forces successively from several bases, leading to the complete end of the “Inherent Resolve” mission.
