President Trump celebrated the final departure of US troops from Iraq on Wednesday. He told guests at the White House that “we’re getting the hell out of there.” This marks the end of a 23-year military presence that began with the 2003 invasion. According to the New York Post, the President insisted his current conflicts will not drag on for decades like the war in Iraq did.
People gathered in Baghdad on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, to mark the complete withdrawal. The New York Post reports that this event closes a chapter that started when civilians and soldiers pulled down a statue of Saddam Hussein in 2003. Trump called the country “a place where we probably shouldn’t have gone.” He noted the high cost of the long mission while contrasting it with faster operations elsewhere.
The President framed the exit as a major win for the nation. “This day is a victory for the United States,” he stated. A decisive victory over ISIS and a triumph for Iraq it is. A press release from U.S. Central Command confirmed the “orderly departure of U.S. forces and equipment” from Erbil Air Base. The Daily Wire notes this move formally ends the U.S. military mission there.
.@POTUS: “Today, I’m pleased to announce that the last American forces are leaving Iraq… This day is a victory for the United States, it’s a victory for Iraq, and a decisive victory over ISIS, which has been completely decimated.” https://t.co/n6o20g2CPx pic.twitter.com/mW4ShChO9h
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) September 30, 2026
Adm. Brad Cooper, the CENTCOM commander, praised the troops in a statement. The mission to defeat the Islamic State group has officially ended in Iraq, though the task force will move to Jordan. According to Breitbart, the operation began under George W. Bush and continued through the Obama and Biden administrations.
The “very bad decision-making that got us involved in this quagmire in the first place” was condemned by President Trump. He posted on Truth Social that the long stay was a result of poor choices by previous leaders. The Washington Times reports that he hailed the withdrawal as the end of Operation Inherent Resolve. Trump noted the 23-year Iraq war was longer than conflicts like the one with Venezuela, which “was over in 148 minutes.” He said the current fight against Iran has lasted six months with 18 killed, promising a quick end.
The withdrawal began last October as part of a planned transition. This shift leads to a “U.S.-Iraq bilateral defense relationship” agreed upon in 2024. Breitbart notes that American forces initially left in 2011 but returned in 2014 to fight ISIS. More than 4,400 U.S. service members died during the war and its aftermath. The new plan ensures Iraqi security forces can manage threats on their own.
Trump praised the new Iraqi Prime Minister, Ali al-Zaidi, calling him a wonderful leader. “We leave with Iraq having a wonderful new Prime Minister, Ali al-Zaidi, somebody I supported from the beginning and fully endorsed,” he wrote, calling it “a Great Day for America.” The President noted that Zaidi won an election he was not expected to win. Adm. Brad Cooper observed that ISIS does not present a systemic threat to Iraq’s national security anymore. The combined task force will remain operational in Jordan to support partners in Syria.
The President declared, “It was a quagmire. That part of history will be over soon, even though it lasted many, many years. As part of the main mission, American forces are no longer stationed in Iraq. Trump stated that the final departure signifies the end of a very expensive excursion into hell. U.S. forces will continue counter-ISIS work in Syria alongside coalition partners. The transition to a bilateral defense relationship is now complete.
