ACTING U.S. Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller announced Tuesday that the United States will withdraw thousands more troops from Afghanistan and Iraq by Jan. 15, 2021.

Miller said the withdrawal, which will leave approximately 2,500 troops in Afghanistan and roughly the same number in Iraq, “does not equate change” to U.S. policies or objectives but provided no details about the plan and refused to answer questions following Tuesday’s appearance in the Pentagon briefing room.

Currently there are approximately 4,500 U.S. troops in Afghanistan and 3,000 troops in Iraq.

National security adviser Robert O’Brien discussed the drawdown from the White House driveway shortly after the Pentagon announcement, but like Miller he did not take any questions from journalists about the decision.

“Moments ago, acting Secretary of Defense Miller announced major troop reductions in Afghanistan and in Iraq. Effective Jan. 15, 2021, American troops in both countries will go to 2,500 personnel.

“Those troops will defend our embassies and the other agencies of the U.S. Government doing important work in those countries. They’ll enable our American allies in their important missions in those countries. They’ll defend our diplomats and they’ll deter our foes,” O’Brien told reporters.

“By May, it is President Trump’s hope that they will all come home safely, and in their entirety,” he added, though by that time, troop decisions will be made by Joe Biden, who will become commander in chief in January.

But the move suggests that Trump may fall short of fulfilling one of his core promises, to withdraw all U.S. troops from Afghanistan before he leaves office — something he pledged as recently as October.

(SD-Agencies)