WASHINGTON – American President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump have made an unannounced Christmas visit to United States troops in Iraq.
They travelled there “late on Christmas night” to thank troops for “their service, their success and their sacrifice,” the White House said.
Trump said the US had no plans to pull out of Iraq.
The trip came days after Defense Secretary Jim Mattis quit over divisions about strategy in the region.
The US still has some 5,000 troops in Iraq to support the government in its fight against what remains of the Islamic State (IS) group.
However, a planned meeting between Trump and Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi was cancelled. Mahdi’s office said it was because of disagreements on how to conduct the meeting.
A phone call between the two leaders was held instead and the White House said Mahdi had accepted an invitation to visit Washington. (BBC)
