Biggs, Massie call on Trump to remove troops from Afghanistan

Two House conservatives are calling on President Trump to “immediately withdraw” all troops from Afghanistan and Iraq, arguing the country needs to stop engaging in “endless wars.” 

In a letter sent to President Trump on Tuesday, House Freedom Caucus Chairman Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.) and Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) said keeping a military presence in the region could mean a loss of power for the U.S.

“Throughout your entire presidency, you have worked tirelessly to Make America Great Again. We are confident you will repeat this feat again after this pandemic. However, the United States will not remain a great power for long if we stay engaged in perpetual warfare in Iraq and Afghanistan,” the letter says.   

The Trump administration is reportedly finalizing plans to withdraw 4,000 troops from Afghanistan before Election Day, a move that critics — including House Republican Conference Chairwoman Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) — argue would destabilize the region and put the U.S. national security at risk. 

The lawmakers said they believe the calls from members on both sides of the aisle to remain in the country are misguided. 

“You will be best served if you listen to your gut instincts on this momentous decision. We urge you to ignore any ‘wisdom’ from the bipartisan cabal of phony experts in the administrative state that have bungled both military and diplomatic campaigns since their start in 2001 and 2003 respectively,” they continued. 

“Iraq and Afghanistan do not possess any weapons that can reach the continental United States. Moreover, neither nation is vital to the national security of the United States. Finally, neither nation is worth one more Gold Star family,” they added.