The information about the withdrawal of the US troops from Syria spread this week due to a leak from the Ministry of defense. In fact, Donald Trump thought about it for two years, told the White house.

The US President Donald Trump has been working on the possibility of withdrawal of the US troops from Syria for two years, said in an interview with Fox News Director of the administrative and budget office of the White house Mick Mulvaney. He currently serves as interim chief of staff of the United States administration.

It is known about the withdrawal of soldiers, he said, “was due to a leak from the defense Ministry this week.” “We can not say that it happened like a bolt from the blue, the President worked on it for two years,” — said the source of the channel.

He also expressed regret due to the fact that “all was known”. “But again, such a decision cannot be called hasty. The President clearly said that he was going to do,” added Mulvaney, noting that the surprise Trump’s decision “for no one was.”

Speaking about the subsequent announcement of the withdrawal of troops from Syria resignations (their positions then decided to leave the us Secretary of defense James Mattis and the special representative of the President on the fight against the terrorist organization “Islamic state” (IS) Brett Mcgurk; both explained their decision disagreement with the withdrawal of the US troops from the Arab Republic), Malvani said that the desire to “leave Syria” Trump said after the end of his presidential campaign. The head of state has the right to work with the “Minister of defense, who is committed to the same goal,” the representative of the administration is sure.

Answering the question about Mattis’s successor (whether Trump wants the Pentagon to be headed by a man ready to challenge him, or in this post he wants to see someone who is close to him in views), Malvani replied: “A little of both.” In the evening of December 23, it became known that this position will be occupied by Deputy head of the Pentagon Patrick Shanahan.

In the Ministry of defense, as the employee of the US administration added, the decision to withdraw the US troops was not popular. However, his support of the people, said Mulvaney.

The order to withdraw the US military from Syria, the US President gave on December 19. The White house then noted that Washington was also going to evacuate the state Department from the Arab Republic. Trump explained his decision by the fact that the only task of the United States in Syria was the victory over ISIS. This goal, as Trump noted, has been achieved. According to the head of state, other” local “countries are able to cope with the” remnants ” of militants without the US.

Nevertheless, Washington’s allies criticized the decision of the American leader. In particular, he was opposed in Germany and France. Such actions of the United States they considered premature.