BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan President Donald Trump made a surprise Thanksgiving visit to Afghanistan to meet with both the countrys president and U.S. troops saying that peace talks with the Taliban have resumed amid a push for a cease-fire and to reduce U.S. deployment in the region.
The president landed at Bagram Airfield around 8:30 p.m. local time Thursday and greeted U.S. soldiers over a turkey dinner before meeting with Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani at the airfields Air Force headquarters.
Trump summoned reporters for part of their meeting and said talks with the Taliban are ongoing. The U.S. wants the Taliban to agree to a cease-fire and will continue to reduce its troop commitment to the region, Trump said.
The Taliban wants to make a deal and were meeting with them and were saying it has to be a cease-fire, and they didnt want to do a cease-fire and now they want to do a cease-fire I believe itll probably work out that way, Trump said, sitting alongside Ghani.
Trump confirmed hed like to reduce troop levels to about 8,600 in Afghanistan from 12,000 now, but would like to go lower without impacting operational duties. We can go much further than that, but well have it all covered, Trump said.
Trump and Ghani said it was an honor to meet. Trump spent about 45 minutes in the building where they met, with media in the room for only a portion of it. In brief remarks to reporters during the bilateral session, Ghani noted that U.S. combat casualties have fallen under Trumps presidency; Trump took office after the NATO mission in Afghanistan shifted to a training and advisory role.
Ghani thanked Trump for his leadership and called for a deal that wont give too much power to the Taliban, saying Trump should not put limits on the type of peace that will ensure the gains of the past year, and will ensure your security and our freedom.
Trump and Ghani then attended a rally-style event at a nearby hangar for U.S. troops, and Trump entered to the same song, Proud to Be an American, he uses at campaign rallies. He then invited Ghani to speak to the U.S. troops, and the Afghan leader delivered an impassioned defense of the U.S. mission.
Please thank your families for agreeing to miss you on this special occasion at home and for being here defending United States security and our freedom. Together, we will succeed, Ghani told the soldiers. We will never permit the repetition of 9/11 again. God bless you, God bless the president.
At the rally, Trump reiterated that theyre working for a peace deal in Afghanistan. Rest assured that my administration will always be committed to annihilating terrorists wherever they appear, he told troops there, adding that he looked forward to the day when we can bring each and every one of you home and safe to your family, and that day is coming and coming very soon.
Trumps remarks hit many of the same themes as his campaign events, including discussing highs in the stock market, the recent death of a top Islamic State leader and the role that a U.S. military dog, Conan, played in that mission. He recalled serving turkey earlier to troops, and missing out on his own meal.
I had a bit of mashed potatoes and I never got to my turkey, Trump told soldiers at the rally, saying he instead went to take photos with servicemen and women. I should have started with that, and not the mashed potatoes. I made a mistake.
Trumps visit, his second to a combat zone as commander in chief, came as he regularly complains about the cost and duration of U.S. operations abroad, and in the Middle East in particular.
Afghanistan is Americas longest-running war. Hes said he wants to bring troops home even from regions where U.S. efforts are aimed at quelling terrorist activity. Were not fighting, were policing in Afghanistan, Trump said in October. On Thursday, he argued that technological advances would allow the U.S. to do more in Afghanistan with fewer soldiers.
Trumps interaction with the troops comes days after U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper ousted Richard Spencer as secretary of the Navy in a dispute over the handling of a case involving a Navy SEAL that Trump became involved in.
