U.S. President Trump described the U.S. departure from Iraq after 23 years as a "major event" during a news conference at the White House. Trump reiterated that having a presence in Iraq had been a mistake from the beginning.
Trump compared the U.S. departure from Iraq with the withdrawal from Afghanistan. He said the United States had left without abandoning its equipment, taking everything with it, including tanks and aircraft.
Trump said the United States could return to Iraq to provide assistance if necessary. He said Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaydi had great respect for him and the United States and was grateful for what had happened.

Losses in Iraq and the goal of eliminating ISIS
Trump said 4,500 people had been lost in Iraq and argued that the outcome had not justified the cost. He said the United States' sole objective in Iraq had been to "wipe out" the terrorist organization ISIS, adding that this goal had been achieved during his first presidential term.

He attributed the security vacuum to the removal of soldiers and police
Trump argued that many soldiers and police officers had been removed from their positions in Iraq before the rise of ISIS, creating a security vacuum in the country.
Trump said those removed from their positions included soldiers, generals and police officers, as well as personnel from the Interior Ministry and similar institutions.