U.S. President Donald Trump Says No Plan to Withdraw 50,000 U.S. Troops From the Middle East

U.S. President Donald Trump said there are currently no plans to withdraw U.S. forces from the Middle East, despite his view that Iran’s defensive and offensive capabilities have been significantly weakened and that a temporary ceasefire agreement is fragile and frequently disrupted. According to Odaily, Trump said the United States has “completely destroyed” Iran’s military power, adding that Iran still has some missiles and drones. He also said he believes Iran has about “21% to 22%” of its prewar missile stockpile remaining. Trump said the continued deployment of 50,000 U.S. troops in the region does not mean they will return home soon. He added that keeping them there costs little and said he considers withdrawing U.S. forces to be “stupid,” arguing that the U.S. military presence could be used to pressure Iran to make concessions at the negotiating table.