Announcement of Complete Military Departure
US President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that the final American military units have officially departed Iraq. The departure marks the conclusion of more than two decades of continuous American military deployment in the country.
In a statement regarding the withdrawal, Trump declared the exit a "decisive victory over ISIS." He stated, "Today I am pleased to announce that the last American troops are leaving Iraq. We are leaving Iraq after 23 years and billions of dollars. This is a victory for America, a victory for Iraq, and a decisive victory over ISIS, which has been completely destroyed."
Trump further elaborated on his social media platform, X, writing that the United States had previously been "stuck in this quagmire because of bad decisions, but now it will be history. We came to fight the Caliph. Now there is no Caliph left. We are going home."
The withdrawal formally terminates Operation Inherent Resolve, the multinational coalition campaign established to combat the Islamic State.
Logistics and Security Handover
Trump praised Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi for bilateral security coordination that facilitated the handoff of all forward bases and defensive security perimeters to Iraqi federal armed forces.
The administration contrasted the Iraq withdrawal with the 2021 Afghanistan exit, stating the Iraq pullout was executed systematically, safely, and in full military order. The Pentagon emphasized that zero sensitive American military equipment, heavy armor, or weaponry was abandoned during the retrograde operations.
According to reports, the Pentagon is relocating central logistical and intelligence units to established airbases inside Jordan. This move aims to maintain over-the-horizon counter-terrorism deterrence following the ground troop withdrawal.
Historical Timeline of Deployment
The current withdrawal concludes a long military presence that began when American armed forces first crossed into Iraq in March 2003 during Operation Iraqi Freedom. That initial invasion led to the overthrow of Saddam Hussein's regime.
Troops previously exited the country under President Barack Obama in 2011. They were redeployed in 2014 when ISIS declared a cross-border proto-state across Iraq and Syria.
While bilateral defense agreements outlining an exit timeline were initially mapped out during the Biden administration, the Trump administration finalized and executed the withdrawal ahead of late 2026.