QUICK TURNAROUND

Trump Orders U.S. Troops Out of Somalia Before Inauguration

The majority of U.S. troops stationed in Somalia are now expected to be brought home early next year.

President Trump has ordered the Department of Defense to bring home nearly all of the U.S. troops stationed in Somalia early next year. There are about 700 members of the U.S. armed forces in the country whose primary purpose is to fight Al-Shabaab, a group tied to Al-Qaeda. “We will continue to degrade violent extremist organizations that could threaten our homeland while ensuring we maintain our strategic advantage in great power competition,” a statement from the Pentagon said. Trump has pushed to reduce the number of U.S. troops in Africa and the Middle East throughout his presidency, including in Iraq and Afghanistan. The announcement about Somalia was made with the support of Acting Defense Secretary Chris Miller. Yet some lawmakers are against it, including Rep. Anthony Brown (D-MD), vice chairman of the House Armed Services Committee. Brown worries that a presidential transition is already a vulnerable time for the U.S. presence abroad, and reducing the number of troops will be dangerous. “This action puts our soldiers at risk, makes our country less safe and threatens the stability of our partners in Africa,” Brown said. The final troops are expected to leave before president-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration after 13 years in the region.