US President Donald Trump, on Thursday, while attending a performance of Les Misérables at the Kennedy Centre, said that the US military personnel are being moved out of some countries in the Middle East because it would otherwise be perilous. Trump said that Iran cannot have nuclear weapons.
“They (US military personnel) are being moved out (of some countries of the Middle East) because it could be a dangerous place and we will see what happens…We have given notice to move out,” he said.
The comments come after a failed round of talks between the US and Iran. “They can’t have a nuclear weapon. Very simple. They can’t have a nuclear weapon. We’re not going to allow that,” he said.
The US is withdrawing the presence of people who are not deemed essential to operations in the Middle East due to the potential for regional unrest, the US State Department and military said on Wednesday, as tensions with neighbouring Iran rose amid deteriorating nuclear talks, as per The Times of Israel.
“President Trump is committed to keeping Americans safe, both at home and abroad. In keeping with that commitment, we are constantly assessing the appropriate personnel posture at all our embassies. Based on our latest analysis, we decided to reduce the footprint of our Mission in Iraq,” a State Department official told The Times of Israel. The department also authorised the departure of nonessential personnel and family members from Bahrain and Kuwait, giving them an option on whether to leave the country, as per The Times of Israel.
In addition, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has authorised the voluntary departure of military dependents from locations across the Middle East, a US official said. Another US official said that it was mostly relevant to family members located in Bahrain – where the bulk of them are based. Tensions in the region have been rising in recent days as talks between the US and Iran over its rapidly advancing nuclear program appear to have hit an impasse.
