US military and intelligence officials are discussing reducing the number of American troops and permanent bases in the Middle East.
CNN reported that it spoke with six officials who said the quiet conversations are occurring as President Donald Trump has no clear plan for the US military posture in the region post-war with Iran. Senior Pentagon officials have privately made clear that they want a smaller US military footprint in several Gulf states after the conflict.
The US currently has a massive force of 50,000 troops, two aircraft carrier strike groups, and advanced air defense systems. The US is also redeploying CIA officers who were withdrawn from the region during the peak of the fighting earlier this year.
While the US is maintaining tens of thousands of soldiers in the Middle East during the war, many of the permanent military bases and intelligence facilities have been damaged or destroyed during the conflict with Iran. CNN reported that it spoke with an official who said the CIA outpost in Saudi Arabia was destroyed.
Some military and intelligence facilities destroyed during the conflict may not be rebuilt or replaced. Some officials are considering having US special operations and intelligence personnel based in America and travel to the Middle East for specific missions.
Future military bases in the Middle East may be moved underground to protect them in future conflicts. “The vulnerabilities were always known, but the US never acted on it with urgency,” a US official told the outlet.
Any plans to scale back the US military presence in the Middle East will not occur until the war against Iran ends. It is unclear how long the current war will drag on. Trump’s current strategy is focused on using a blockade and economic war to break the Iranian economy.
The discussion is in the preliminary stage, as the White House has not ordered a review of US force posture in the Middle East.
Additionally, some regional countries may see US bases as a liability moving forward. Iran attacked many Arab states that host US bases during the war. The US struggled to provide air defenses to defend those nations from Iranian drones and missiles.
On Monday, Qatar Foreign Ministry spokesperson Dr. Majed bin Mohammed Al Ansari said Gulf states can no longer rely on Washington for security. “Self-sufficiency when it comes to security is the only way forward,” he stated.
The US is also in the process of removing its troops from Iraq under a withdrawal process that began with a 2024 agreement between Washington and Baghdad. American forces are now scheduled to exit Iraq by the end of the month.
