WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Following President Donald Trump's comments suggesting he would like to pull U.S. troops out of Syria, a statement from the White House indicated the U.S. mission in the country is 'coming to a rapid end.'
The statement released by White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders on Wednesday stopped short of providing a timeline for when U.S. troops would leave Syria.
'The military mission to eradicate ISIS in Syria is coming to a rapid end, with ISIS being almost completely destroyed,' Sanders said.
She added, 'The United States and our partners remain committed to eliminating the small ISIS presence in Syria that our forces have not already eradicated.'
Sanders said the U.S. would continue to consult with allies and friends regarding future plans in the battle against the terrorist group.
'We expect countries in the region and beyond, plus the United Nations, to work toward peace and ensure that ISIS never re-emerges,' Sanders said.
The White House statement comes after Trump reiterated his desire to pull U.S. troops out of Syria during a press conference with leaders from three Baltic nations on Tuesday.
'I want to get out,' Trump told reporters when asked about Syria. 'I want to bring our troops back home. I want to start rebuilding our nation.'
Trump claimed that the trillions of dollars the U.S. has spent in the Middle East have brought nothing but 'death and destruction,' which he called 'a horrible thing.'
'So it is time. It is time. We were very successful against ISIS. We'll be successful against anybody militarily,' Trump said. 'But sometimes it is time to come back home. And we're thinking about that very seriously.'
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