Trump announces ‘Christmas’ plan

All US troops in Afghanistan should be "home by Christmas," President Donald Trump said on Wednesday, just hours after his national security adviser said Washington would reduce its forces in Afghanistan to 2,500 by early next year. 

Trump and other officials have said the United States will go down to between 4,000 and 5,000 troops in Afghanistan around November. Beyond that, officials have said that a reduction will depend on conditions in Afghanistan.

On Twitter, Trump said: "We should have the small remaining number of our BRAVE Men and Women serving in Afghanistan home by Christmas!"

It was unclear whether Trump was giving an order or verbalizing a long-held aspiration.

Trump has made walking away from "ridiculous endless wars" the cornerstone of his foreign policy, even though thousands of troops remain in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan.

The Taliban welcomed Trump's comments saying it will help peace talks being held in Doha, Qatar.