Trump, first lady of Iraq for a surprise visit with her troops

President Trump and the First Lady appeared in Iraq on Wednesday for a surprise visit with troops and senior military officials at Al Asad Air Base, where he said he "n & # 39; 39; had no plans "to withdraw any of the 5,000 US soldiers the country.

Trump's visit – his first as president of a combat zone – follows his announcement of the withdrawal of troops from Syria and the alleged withdrawal of thousands of soldiers in Afghanistan.

United States. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump greet the military at the dining hall during an unannounced visit to Al Asad Air Base, Iraq, on December 26, 2018. REUTERS / Jonathan Ernst – RC1A7F8AD820

At the air base, National Security Advisor John Bolton joins the presidency for talks with political and military leaders. According to Reuters, the president spent about three hours on the ground with the First Lady, Melania Trump, responsible for the handover of US troops.

"President Trump and the First Lady traveled to Iraq late on Christmas Eve to visit our troops and senior military officials, and Sarah Sanders, White House Press Secretary, tweeted Twitter. 19659006] Trump's surprise visit to the region took place a week after he declared that the Islamic State had been "defeated." Syria in a tweet and ordered all American diplomats and soldiers to leave the country

The United States deployed its first troops to Syria in 2015 under the Obama regime as part of a partnership with Kurdish-led forces against the Islamic State a year before the deployment. , US air strikes also began in Syria

United States. President Donald Trump delivers a speech to US troops during an unannounced visit to Al Asad Air Force Base, Iraq, on December 26, 2018. REUTERS / Jonathan Ernst – RC1DDA2CDD00

Outgoing Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis has signed an order to withdraw all US troops from Syria in the coming weeks, a senior defense official told Fox News. Pentagon officials at the time refused to discuss details, including the timeline, citing operational security for the 2,000 or so US troops deployed in Syria.

The president told reporters traveling with him that he hoped that US soldiers would return from Syria and that Iraq could do so. still used as a base to organize attacks against Islamic State militants if necessary, according to the Associated Press.

Trump added that if necessary, the US can attack the IS "so quickly and so harshly" that they "will not know the heck has happened."

"I think a lot of people will come back to my thinking, it's time for us to start using our head, "he told reporters.

TRUMP LAMENTS Media focus on rumors of "never ending wars" in Syria, Afghanistan

Last month, Trump hinted that he would visit soon troops deployed in a war zone.

President Donald Trump Visits soldiers in a dining room at Al Asad Air Base, Iraq, on Wednesday, December 26, 2018. (AP Photo / Andrew Harnik)

In an exclusive interview with "Fox News Sunday," host Chris Wallace asked Trump why he had not visited troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan during the two years he was there. had served as commander-in-chief.

"Well I think that will happen," said the US President after Mr. Wallace noted that Obama and former President George W. Bush had visited soldiers in areas of war. "There are things that are planned, we do not want to talk about it for reasons – obviously for security reasons and all the rest."

The President had previously criticized his decision not to travel to Arlington National Cemetery to mark Veterans Day after his trip to Europe. He should have "visited" the cemetery, but he was too busy with official business.

Lucas Tomlinson of Fox News, Gregg Re and by Associated Press.