US troops in Syria: Trump mulls withdrawal, administration weighs options

US President Donald Trump has reserved the right to explore the possibility of withdrawing US troops from Syria, as confirmed by White House press secretary Caroline Leavitt.

In a briefing on January 29, Leavitt was asked whether the US president was considering pulling troops from Syria., Caliber.Az reports via international media outlets.

She responded, "Yesterday, the President was asked this question and he answered it. As commander-in-chief of the US Armed Forces, he reserves the right to review the deployment of troops overseas at any time." Leavitt also affirmed that the topic is currently being discussed within the administration.

During a separate exchange with reporters at the White House, Trump reiterated that the US should not be involved in Syria, noting that the administration will decide on the potential withdrawal of US troops from the country.

In a related development, Kan state broadcaster reported that senior US officials had conveyed to Israeli representatives that Trump is interested in withdrawing the remaining US soldiers stationed in Syria. According to Pentagon figures from December 2024, approximately 2,000 US troops are currently deployed in Syria.

The situation in Syria has been evolving rapidly since November 2024, when opposition forces launched a large-scale offensive against Syrian army positions in the provinces of Aleppo and Idlib. By December 7, opposition groups had taken control of several key cities, including Aleppo, Deraa, Hama, and Homs. On December 8, they entered Damascus, and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad resigned, leaving the country. Two days later, on December 10, Mohammed al-Bashir, leader of the opposition's salvation government in Idlib, was announced as the head of a transitional Syrian cabinet, set to remain in power until March 1, 2025.

On January 29, 2025, the de facto leader of Syria, Ahmed al-Sharaa, who heads the group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, was formally appointed president of Syria for a transitional period.

By Tamilla Hasanova