Speaking to a radio in the US, Trump said Thursday that the U.S. plans to reduce the number of American troops in Afghanistan from 14,000 to 8,600 and then will determine further drawdowns.
Trump, who also considered the talks with the Taliban, said the United States was increasingly close to reaching a deal. Noting that the outcome was uncertain, Trump said, "Who knows if it is going to happen!"
"We're going down to 8,600 [troops] and then we'll make a determination from there," Trump said, adding that the U.S. is going to have a "high intelligence" presence in Afghanistan going forward.
Trump also threatened that if organizations in Afghanistan targeted the United States, they would "come back with a force they haven't seen before."
Taliban officials said in a recent statement that they were close to an agreement in negotiations with the United States.
The United States has occupied Afghanistan under the pretext of the September 11, 2001 attacks. This occupation of Afghanistan has the distinction of being the longest occupation in U.S. history.
The U.S. has lost more than 2,400 troops in the Afghanistan war so far.
ILKHA