Trump Weighing Up to 5,000 More U.S. Troops for Afghanistan, Official Says
- U.S., allies seeking ways to bolster fight against Taliban
- Expanded troop levels to be topic of NATO consultations
U.S. soldiers arrive at the site of a suicide car bombing that targeted an Afghan police district headquarters building in Kabul on March 1, 2017.
President Donald Trump’s top military advisers are recommending deploying 3,000 to 5,000 more U.S. troops to Afghanistan to improve security that has been deteriorating since the U.S. and its NATO allies officially concluded their combat mission in 2014, a White House official said.
The president hasn’t yet decided on expanding the U.S. presence in the nation’s longest war, according to the official, who asked not to be identified discussing internal deliberations. But the White House aims to have a decision before a May 25 summit at which the North Atlantic Treaty Organization will discuss its role in Afghanistan.