Bringing Them Home: President Trump Orders Troop Withdrawal from Somalia on Heels of Previous Drawdown in Iraq and Afghanistan

By John Colascione Last updated Dec 19, 2024 Share with new partner:

President Trump while he addressed service members during a Troop Talk, Nov. 5, 2017, at Yokota Air Base, Japan. (<a href= — President Trump while he addressed service members during a Troop Talk, Nov. 5, 2017, at Yokota Air Base, Japan. During his talk, Trump highlighted the importance of the U.S. – Japan alliance in the Indo-Asia Pacific region. U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Juan Torres. The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Trump has issued a new order to withdraw nearly all of the 700 American troops in Somalia by early 2021. Trump’s order comes on the heels of his decision last month to drawdown troops in Iraq and Afghanistan to 2,500 service members in each of those countries by Jan. 15, just five days before any potential transition would take place.

#BREAKING: Trump orders Pentagon to pull nearly all 700 troops from Somalia https://t.co/JkpEiVwP0d pic.twitter.com/5a0vMoYSYl

— The Hill (@thehill) December 4, 2020

According to Ivanka Trump, who has been serving as Advisor to the President, since 2017, and is the Director of the Office of Economic Initiatives and Entrepreneurship, said her father is determined to “ending endless foreign wars” bringing troops home.

When @realDonaldTrump took office, 12,966 military members were serving in Afghanistan & 7,538 were in Iraq.

By Jan. 15, American troop presence will be reduced to 2,500 in Afghanistan & 2,500 in Iraq.

President Trump is ending the endless foreign wars. God Bless our troops! pic.twitter.com/jqqpaNMbOE

— Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) November 18, 2020

According to Politico, the move is expected to only embolden al-Shabab extremist behavior in the region.

“The President’s decision to withdraw forces from Somalia is a surrender to al Qaeda and a gift to China. The withdrawal of U.S. troops could make it harder for aid workers and diplomats on the ground to help resolve conflict peacefully and could come at a political cost. Al Shabaab will message our withdrawal as a victory, which may propel some of their political affiliates into government” said Rep. Jim Langevin (D-R.I.), who chairs the House Armed Services Intelligence and Emerging Threats and Capabilities panel.

According to a statement from Dept of Defense, the U.S. will retain the capability to conduct targeted counterterrorism operations in Somalia and collect early warnings and indicators regarding threats to the homeland.

“The President of the United States has ordered the Department of Defense and the United States Africa Command to reposition the majority of personnel and assets out of Somalia by early 2021. The U.S. is not withdrawing or disengaging from Africa. We remain committed to our African partners and enduring support through a whole-of-government approach”