U.S. President Trump addressed the U.S. withdrawal from Iraq while answering questions about developments in the Middle East at a White House press conference.
Repeating that being in Iraq had been a mistake from the outset, Trump compared the withdrawal process with the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. Trump said the United States had not left its equipment behind and had taken everything with it, including tanks and aircraft.
Trump described the U.S. withdrawal from Iraq after 23 years as a “major event.” Saying the United States could return to Iraq to provide assistance if necessary, Trump said Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaydi had great respect for him and the United States and was grateful for what had happened.

Losses in Iraq and the ISIS objective
Trump said 4,500 people had been lost in Iraq and argued that the outcome had not justified the cost. Saying that the United States’ sole objective in Iraq had been to “eradicate” the terrorist organization ISIS, Trump noted that this goal had been achieved during his first presidential term.

Assessment of the security vacuum
Trump claimed that removing large numbers of soldiers and police officers from duty in Iraq before the emergence of ISIS had created a security vacuum in the country.
He said that soldiers, generals and police officers in Iraq, as well as personnel at the Interior Ministry and similar institutions, had been dismissed.