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Of course we should have captured Osama Bin Laden long before we did. I pointed him out in my book just BEFORE the attack on the World Trade Center. President Clinton famously missed his shot. We paid Pakistan Billions of Dollars & they never told us he was living there. Fools!.. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 19, 2018

Although he signed off on Defence Secretary Jim Mattis’ requests to bolster the American military presence in Afghanistan and Syria and retain the footprint in Iraq, Trump isn’t a fan of U.S. military operations there.

In meetings about a potential visit, he has described the missions in Iraq and Afghanistan as “a total shame,” according to the advisers. He also cited the long flights and potential security risks as reasons he has avoided combat-zone visits, they said.

Questioned last week about why he has not visited American troops deployed in overseas conflicts, Trump indicated during a Fox News interview that a trip was in the works.

Photo by NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP/Getty Images

“I think you will see that happen,” Trump said in the interview with Chris Wallace that aired Sunday. “There are things that are being planned. We don’t want to talk about it because of security reasons and everything else.”

The president also repeated his erroneous contention that he was opposed to the Iraq War. The Washington Post has found that Trump initially expressed support for the invasion and did not register public objections until more than a year after the war began.

“I think it was a tremendous mistake, should never have happened,” Trump told Wallace.

“But this is about the soldiers, sir,” Wallace responded.

I think it was a tremendous mistake, should never have happened

“You’re right,” Trump said. “I don’t think anybody’s been more with the military than I have, as a president. In terms of funding, in terms of all of the things I’ve been able to get them, including the vets.”