President Donald Trump celebrated the completion of the U.S.-led coalition’s military mission in Iraq on Wednesday, calling the withdrawal a victory for the United States and a decisive defeat for ISIS.

The final U.S. forces and equipment departed Erbil Air Base on Wednesday, formally ending the U.S.-led coalition’s military mission against ISIS in Iraq after more than a decade of operations. The move follows a 2024 agreement between Washington and Baghdad to wind down the coalition’s Iraq mission.

Trump welcomed the withdrawal in a post on Truth Social, writing, “This Day is a victory for the United States, a victory for Iraq, and a decisive victory over ISIS.”

Truth Social
Credit: Truth Social

Trump also pointed to Iraq’s current government, saying the country now has a “wonderful” prime minister. “I had a choice to stay or to leave, and felt, without question, that it was time for America to go home!” Trump wrote.

The coalition was established in 2014 to combat ISIS after the terrorist group seized large portions of Iraq and Syria. ISIS was territorially defeated in Iraq in 2017, although U.S. and coalition forces remained in the country to assist Iraqi forces and combat remnants of the group.

The withdrawal shifts primary responsibility for Iraq’s security to Iraqi forces. The U.S.-led coalition’s counter-ISIS headquarters has moved to Jordan, where American forces will continue operations against ISIS in Syria alongside coalition partners.

The departure has also prompted concerns about what could follow. Some Iraqi officials and security analysts have warned that Iran-backed militias could gain greater freedom of action after the U.S. exit, while questions remain about whether ISIS remnants could exploit any security gaps.

The U.S. withdrawal marks the end of a major chapter in America's military involvement in Iraq, while Washington and Baghdad transition toward a bilateral defense relationship rather than a coalition combat mission.