President Trump said early Monday that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan “has very strongly informed” him that Turkey will “eradicate whatever is left of ISIS in Syria” after the U.S. withdraws its troops from the country.
“President @RT_Erdogan of Turkey has very strongly informed me that he will eradicate whatever is left of ISIS in Syria….and he is a man who can do it plus, Turkey is right ‘next door.’ Our troops are coming home!” Trump wrote on Twitter.
{mosads}Trump’s tweet follows multiple reports that Erdoğan reassured Trump in a Dec. 14 phone call that Turkey would defeat the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in Syria if the U.S. withdrew its forces.
Trump last week announced that the U.S. would withdraw its roughly 2,000 troops from Syria, a decision that has sparked bipartisan backlash from U.S. lawmakers and prompted the resignation of Defense Secretary James Mattis.
NBC News reported Saturday that Erdoğan promised to Trump during that phone call that Turkey’s military forces would defeat the remaining Islamic State forces still in Syria.
“Erdoğan said to the president, ‘In fact, as your friend, I give you my word in this,’ ” an official told NBC News.
CNN on Monday reported the same conversation, citing a senior White House official.
Trump wrote on Twitter on Saturday that “local countries, including Turkey,” would “easily take care” of the remaining ISIS forces.
“When I became President, ISIS was going wild. Now ISIS is largely defeated and other local countries, including Turkey, should be able to easily take care of whatever remains. We’re coming home!” he tweeted.