HE TOOK THE FIRST LADY, MELANIA
TRUMP, WITH HIM.
WHAT DO YOU KNOW?
>> IT WAS A SURPRISE.
IN FACT, WE WERE UNDER STRICT
ORDERS NOT TO REPORT UNTIL THE
PRESIDENT WAS WHEELED DOWN IN
BAGHDAD.
AND THE PRESIDENT IS NOW LANDING
IN IRAQ WHERE OVER 5,000
AMERICAN TROOPS ARE DEPLOYED AND
WILL DEPLOY AND STAY TO FIGHT
ISIS IN THE COMING WEEKS AND
MONTHS.
LAST WEEK, THE PRESIDENT IS
PULLING ALL NEIGHBORING TROOPS
OUT OF SYRIA BUT THE TROOPS IN
IRAQ WILL STAY.
THERE ARE U.S. ARMY ARTILLERY
UNITS ON THE BORDER WITH SYRIA
THAT ARTISTS SHELLING ISIS
AROUND THE CLOCK AND THE LAST
KNOWN CITY, AND THAT CONTINUES.
THE PRESIDENT IS RESPONDING TO
CRITICS, AND SHOWING THE TROOPS
THAT HIS COMMANDER AND IN CI
THAT HIS COMMANDER AND IN CF
THAT HIS COMMANDER AND IN CI
THAT HIS COMMANDER AND IN CS
WITH THEM.
>> THE SEARCH WAS VERY IMPORTANT
IF I RECALL?
>> YES.
THAT WAS FIERCE FIGHTING DURING
THE HEIGHT OF THE IRAQ WAR,
SPECIAL OPERATIONS FORCES.
THEY JUST WANT TO SHOW THE
TROOPS AND JUST WANT TO SHOW
THAT HE IS LISTENING TO PERHAPS
SOME OF THE CRITICISM.
HE'S THERE TO SHOW SUPPORT.
PERHAPS WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN
TIPPED OFF WHEN JUST A FEW DAYS
AGO ON CHRISTMAS EVE, THE
GOVERNMENT OF IRAQ ISSUED A
STATEMENT OVER TWITTER SAYING
THAT IT WAS MAKING CHRISTMAS A A
NATIONAL IN IRAQ.
AND AT THE MAJORITY OF MUSLIM
NATIONS.
>> LOOKING BACK, I NOTICED THAT
TWEET.
AND COULD THERE BE A MEETING
WITH ANY OTHER IRAQI OFFICIALS?
>> HE WILL MEET WITH TOP U.S.
MILITARY OFFICIALS AND, THERE
WAS AN ELECTION RECENTLY IN IRAQ
AND A NEW PRIME MINISTER SO
PERHAPS THE PRESIDENT WILL BE
MEETING HIM.
OF COURSE THERE ARE LOTS OF
TENSIONS IN THE NATION, NATION,
YOU HAVE IRAN FORCES AND SURELY
PRESIDENT TRUMP WOULD WANT TO
KEEP THE GOVERNMENT OF BAGHDAD
FIRMLY IN THE UNITED STATES
CAMPED IN.
>> LET'S BRING IN
CHRIS STIREWALT.
I THINK ONE THING THAT'S
DIFFERENT ABOUT THIS TRIP, THE
PRESIDENT TOOK THE FIRST LADY
WITH HIM AND YOU CAN SEE IN
PICTURES THEY THEY ARE, THEY
LOVE THE VISIT AND, THIS COMES
AT A TIME WHERE THERE IS A
QUESTION ABOUT, AND TRYING TO
REBUFF IRAN.
BUT WE MIGHT NEED YOUR HELP.
>> THIS PRESENTS A VERY UNIQUE
OPPORTUNITY FOR THE MILITARY AND
SENIOR BRASS TO HAVE AN
OPPORTUNITY TO INFLUENCE THE
PRESIDENT.
WE KNOW HOW HIS DECISION TO YANK
THE TROOPS OUT OF SYRIA CAME
ABOUT, WHICH WAS, HE WAS
CONVINCED BY THE RULER IN TURKE
TURKEY.
AND, NOW HE HAS BEEN HEARING IN
PREPARATION FOR THIS TRIP, AND,
CHRIS, THIS IS COMING IN AND I'M
SORRY I READ IT OFF ON MY PHONE
BUT THIS IS HOW YOU GET THINGS
THESE DAYS.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP IN IRAQ
FOR THAT UNANNOUNCED VISIT THAT
WE ARE JUST BREAKING HERE.
HE SAYS WHILE HE IS THEIR "HE
HAS NO PLANS AT ALL TO REMOVE
U.S. TROOPS FROM THE COUNTRY.
AND THEY ARE CONCERNED ABOUT ANY
INSTABILITY AND THE POSSIBILITY
OF IRAN'S INFLUENCE.
AND, WITHOUT CONSULTATION WITH
WITH ANYBODY, BUT RATTLED A LOT
OF NERVES.
AND SO WE ARE STAYING BEHIND,
WILL WE STAY WITH OUR MISSION IN
IRAQ AND PROVIDE STABILITY
THERE?
AND, IF YOU ARE A GENERAL, YOU
TAKE THEM AROUND.
WHAT YOU ARE DOING IN SYRIA,
AND -- , THE PRESIDENT AND HIS
AND -- , THE PRESIDENT AND HIW
AND -- , THE PRESIDENT AND HIF
AND -- , THE PRESIDENT AND HIE
FLYING INTO BE THERE, THAT'S