WASHINGTON, Dec. 19 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump hinted on Wednesday in a tweet about imminent U.S. troop withdrawal from Syria as he claimed that the Islamic State (IS) has been defeated.
"We have defeated ISIS (the IS) in Syria, my only reason for being there during the Trump Presidency," Trump tweeted on Wednesday morning.
Minutes ahead of Trump's tweet, U.S. media cited anonymous officials as saying that the United States is planning a rapid and full withdrawal of troops from Syria.
The United States has been reportedly considering a complete withdrawal of U.S. forces from northeastern Syria, where they have been trying to wrap up the campaign against the IS, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing a Trump administration official.
The official speaking on condition of anonymity said that the Pentagon had been asked "to move troops out of Syria as quickly as possible."
Trump has long voiced his desire to bring the U.S. troops back home when possible, while senior administration officials including Defense Secretary James Mattis have advocated for a longer-term military deployment in Syria to secure a victory against the IS.
Currently there are more than 2,000 U.S. soldiers deployed in Syria.
It is still not clear when the Trump administration will announce its decision or when the exit of the troops will begin.
