FILE – In this Nov. 28, 2019, file photo President Donald Trump smiles before addressing members of the military during a surprise Thanksgiving Day visit at Bagram Air Field, Afghanistan. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)
OAN Newsroom
UPDATED 7:24 AM PT – Friday, January 15, 2021
The Commander-in-Chief recently took a moment to reflect on the impact his leadership has had on the men and women in the armed forces. In a statement Thursday, President Trump began by highlighting perhaps his greatest accomplishment.
The administration’s withdrawal of troops in Afghanistan marked the end of the longest war in American history. As of this week, only about 2,500 troops remain in the country, which is the lowest number since 2001 when U.S. forces ousted the Taliban and established an interim government.
Eighteen years later in September of 2019, the President’s administration brokered the first successful peace talks between the government of Afghanistan and the Taliban with the historic Agreement for Bringing Peace to Afghanistan. It was signed and finalized the following February.
The draw-down marked a promise President Trump made throughout his entire campaign.
“We’re really not acting as soldiers, we’re acting as police, and we’re not sent over there to be policemen, but we were there 19 years,” he stated. “Yeah, I think that’s enough…we want to bring our soldiers back home.”
The President also addressed the advancements the U.S. military has made over the last four years, including investing $2.5 trillion in strengthening all branches of the military. This also included the newly minted U.S. Space Force.
“It’s imperative that we invest the resources and the personnel and the technology to defend our nation, and defend our values in the outer reaches of space,” stated Vice President Mike Pence. “In fact, the United States, as you’ve heard, already, faces emerging threats in space from countries like China and Russia, and those threats are only growing.”
In this photo released by the U.S. Air Force, Capt. Ryan Vickers stands for a photo to display his new service tapes after taking his oath of office to transfer from the U.S. Air Force to the U.S. Space Force at Al-Udeid Air Base, Qatar, Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2020. (Staff Sgt. Kayla White/U.S. Air Force via AP)
The addition of the Space Force to the Department of Defense marked a new frontier, allowing the U.S. to prioritize what could be the next big threat in warfare — cyber attacks.
The military also increased funding for the research and development of new weapons by 50 percent over the course of the President’s first term. While some areas of the armed forces were forging new paths, however, the President didn’t overlook re-enforcing the arsenals that earned America the title of global superpower.
As tensions between America and foreign adversaries like Russia and China heat up, the measures President Trump has taken to ensure America is properly defended, no matter the conflict, will serve to secure the blessings of liberty and posterity to Americans. This is exactly what the Constitution promises.
