Transcript for President Trump surprises US troops

We turn now to the president getting a warm welcome from US troops in Germany after his first trip to a war zone nearly two years into his presidency. The president followed up his surprise visit to a rock with a stop at Ramstein Air Base air force base where he took so please in signed autographs. As the president returns there's no end in sight to the government shut down now entering day six the senate will be back in session today as the president doubles down on his demands to. Pay for a border wall. ABC's Maggie ruling is here with us with the very latest Maggie good morning. Today good morning while many DC have been waiting for the president's first visit to a war zone former President Bush visited Iraq four times President Obama visited once. And now president trump has one trip under his belt and that occurred a quid chaotic time in Washington. The president and First Lady making their Covert trip under the cover of darkness surprising troops any rock in his first visit to service members in a war zone since taking office nearly two years ago. We came due out this actors here. Our he eternal gratitude for everything. Posing for herself fees and autographs president -- trip was shrouded in secrecy. Military jets escorted Air Force One on the eleven hour flight which left Washington Christmas night in the middle of a partial government shutdown. Once landing at Al Asad air force base any Brock the president spoke for roughly thirty minutes or not this suckers of the world. We're no longer the suckers folks we're respected again as a nation. Freezing the more than 5000 troops deployed indie rock for their work in the fight against a six. And revealing he wants troops to remain in. Despite defending his abrupt decision last week to withdraw all 2000 American troops in neighboring Syria are. Presences there was not. Open ended and was never intended to be permanent. Then saying that for too long the US has shouldered the cost sort of leading the war on terror and defending our allies. The president also met with the US ambassador to we Brock and puts US troops in Germany on his way back home. Now his team says Iraq's prime minister has accepted an invitation. To miss at the White House Zachary Jeannette at Santana president saying he's in no rush to replace Defense Secretary James Mattis Maggie thank you.

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