Trump to Address Nation on ‘Path Forward’ in Afghanistan Monday, Expected to Increase U.S. Troops

Conflict in Afghanistan Began 16 Years Ago

Donald Trump will address the nation on the country’s “path forward” in Afghanistan and South Asia, the White House announced Sunday afternoon.

JUST IN: Pres. Trump to “provide an update on the path forward for America’s engagement in Afghanistan” in address tomorrow night. pic.twitter.com/AmVZPysJv9

Earlier this week, sources told Politico that Vice President Mike Pence and national security adviser H.R. McMaster had “rehearsed their pitch heading into the Camp David strategy session in an effort to persuade Trump to accept commanders’ proposals to beef up the 8,400 American troops in the country.”

Early on Sunday, Secretary of Defense James Mattis confirmed that a decision had been made on a new strategy in Afghanistan, but said the president would announce it. 

“He wants to be the one to announce it to the American people,” Mattis said. “He now needs the weekend to collect his thoughts on how he’s going to explain it to the American people.”

The conflict in Afghanistan has lasted 16 years.

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Image by The U.S. Army via Flickr and a CC license