The Pentagon and Iraq's prime minister said the remaining U.S. force will leave Iraq by Sept. 30, closing a military mission that began with the 2003 invasion.
A 2024 U.S.-Iraq agreement had already set the anti-Islamic State mission for closure, and many troops have departed as Washington shifted security duties to Iraqi forces it trained.
Trump said the U.S. no longer needs troops in Iraq and cast the relationship as moving from military protection to business ties, with al-Zaidi saying U.S. companies will remain.
The withdrawal caps a presence that peaked above 170,000 troops in 2007, fell after the 2011 drawdown, then returned in 2014 after Islamic State seized large parts of Iraq and Syria.
Can Iraq's PM, with past links to a sanctioned bank, truly win the West's trust and investment?
Is the new US-backed oil pipeline a path to prosperity or a prime target for defiant militias?
As some Iraqi militias agree to disarm, are the powerful holdouts preparing for a new internal conflict?
Kirkuk-Baniyas Pipeline: US-Iraq-Syria Energy Pact Reshapes Middle East Power and Global Oil Markets
Overview
In July 2026, President Trump will host Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi at the White House to finalize the Kirkuk-Baniyas pipeline deal, with Syria’s foreign minister also attending. This agreement marks a major step in regional cooperation, aiming to create a vital alternative oil export route that bypasses the volatile Strait of Hormuz. By pursuing new pipeline evacuation routes, energy producers can diversify their export options and reduce reliance on a single chokepoint. The project reflects a sustained push for greater energy security and stability in global markets amid ongoing geopolitical tensions.