Trump's Reversal on Syria Pullout Meant to Keep European Support

President Donald Trump’s reversal on plans to withdraw U.S. forces from Syria came after he was convinced European allies wouldn’t remain on the battlefield without American support, risking a resurgence of Islamic State, according to a senior administration official familiar with the decision.

The U.S. will keep about 400 troops in Syria, split between forces in the northeast and the Al-Tanf base in the south, according to the official, who asked not to be identified discussing internal deliberations. The White House expects the remaining multinational force in Syria to be about 1,500 troops, though European allies haven’t yet signed off on the plan, the official said.