Trump reportedly demands six-month deadline for mission in Syria

U.S. military in Syria.
(Image credit: DELIL SOULEIMAN/AFP/Getty Images)

President Trump has demanded that the U.S. finish its mission in Syria within six months, CNN reported Thursday. The request for a hasty retreat is apparently meant to achieve the "rapid end" to U.S. involvement in the country that the White House promised Wednesday.

There are roughly 2,000 troops in Syria, working to fight against the Islamic State, but the White House said yesterday that ISIS is "almost completely destroyed." Despite the protests of his national security team and top military officials, CNN reports, Trump said that the mission needs to be finished in six months so that troops can come home.

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Summer Meza, The Week US

Summer Meza has worked at The Week since 2018, serving as a staff writer, a news writer and currently the deputy editor. As a proud news generalist, she edits everything from political punditry and science news to personal finance advice and film reviews. Summer has previously written for Newsweek and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, covering national politics, transportation and the cannabis industry.