Trump wants forces reduced in Afghanistan by next U.S. election: Pompeo

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo walks from a helicopter to return to his plane at the end of an unannounced visit to Kabul, Afghanistan, June 25, 2019.

U.S. President Donald Trump wants combat forces reduced in Afghanistan by the next U.S. presidential election, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Monday, in comments that underlined the growing pressure from Washington to cut troop numbers there.

Trump’s South Asia strategy, unveiled in August 2017, called for an open-ended deployment of U.S. forces with the goal of compelling the Taliban to negotiate peace with the Kabul government to end nearly 18 years of war.