Trump Celebrates Departure of Last U.S. Forces From Iraq After More Than Two Decades
President Donald J. Trump celebrated the departure of the last American forces from Iraq on Wednesday, marking the end of a U.S. military presence that began with the 2003 invasion and later resumed as part of the fight against ISIS.
U.S. Central Command confirmed that American forces and equipment completed their departure from Erbil Air Base on Sept. 30. The move officially ended the Operation Inherent Resolve mission inside Iraq, although American forces will continue counter-ISIS operations elsewhere in the region.
Trump announced the milestone during a Hispanic Heritage Month event at the White House, calling it a great day for the United States. The president said America was finally ending its involvement in a conflict he described as a costly and prolonged quagmire.
The United States invaded Iraq in 2003 and overthrew Saddam Hussein’s government. American combat forces initially withdrew in 2011, but U.S. troops returned in 2014 after ISIS seized large areas of Iraq and Syria and threatened the Iraqi government.
Approximately 4,500 American service members were killed during the years following the 2003 invasion. The later Operation Inherent Resolve campaign was launched in 2014 to help Iraqi and other regional forces defeat ISIS and dismantle the terrorist group’s territorial caliphate.
Trump characterized the latest withdrawal as a victory for both the United States and Iraq. He also praised Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi and expressed confidence that Iraq’s government could take greater responsibility for maintaining the country’s security.
The withdrawal was carried out under an agreement reached between Washington and Baghdad in 2024. The Trump administration continued implementing the timetable after taking office, with the remaining American personnel gradually consolidated before the final departure from Erbil.
The end of the mission does not mean the United States is abandoning its counterterrorism efforts in the region. Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve will remain operational from Jordan, where American forces will continue supporting operations against ISIS in Syria alongside coalition partners.
The departure has also raised questions about Iraq’s future security environment. Iran-backed militias remain influential inside the country, while remnants of ISIS continue operating in parts of Iraq and Syria. Some Iraqi and Kurdish officials have expressed concern that those groups could attempt to exploit the reduced American military presence.
Trump said the United States had accomplished the mission of destroying ISIS as an organized territorial force and argued that there was no justification for turning a temporary military deployment into a permanent one. After more than two decades of American military involvement in Iraq, the final troops have now departed and responsibility for the country’s security has shifted further toward Iraqi forces.