WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - President Donald Trump traveled to Camp David on Friday to meet with top national security officials to discuss his administration's strategy on Afghanistan.
Trump will reportedly discuss several options for Afghanistan with Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, CIA Director Mike Pompeo and other national security advisers.
The options on the table are said to include maintaining the status quo, increasing the number of American troops, reducing the number of American troops or a total withdrawal from Afghanistan.
During a news conference on Thursday, Mattis suggested the meeting would move the administration toward a decision but did not say a conclusion would be reached.
'We will move this toward a decision,' Mattis said. 'We are coming very close to a decision and I anticipate it in the very near future.'
U.S. officials told Reuters that National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster and some military commanders favor a troop hike, while so-called 'anti-globalists' back withdrawing U.S. forces.
The 'anti-globalists' were reportedly led by Steve Bannon, who was removed as White House chief strategist on Friday.
Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX