Trump to send 1,500 troops to Middle East to counter Iran

President Trump on Friday announced that the U.S. will send roughly 1,500 troops to the Middle East in order to counter Iran’s influence in the region.

Trump emphasized that the new deployment will provide force protection for existing troops in the area amid heightened tensions with Tehran.

The president approved the additional forces on Thursday following a meeting with acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Joseph Dunford at the White House.

“We want to have protection,” Trump told reporters at the White House.