Trump Says US Troops in Afghanistan Should Return Home by Christmas

"We should have the small remaining number of our BRAVE Men and Women serving in Afghanistan home by Christmas!" He tweeted.

Trump's National Security Adviser Robert O'Brien, however, suggested that the US military would still keep 2,500 troops in Afghanistan by early 2021.

"Ultimately, the Afghans themselves are going to have to work out an accord, a peace agreement ... We think Americans need to come home," O'Brien said at an event at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Xinhua news agency reported.

Commander of US Central Command Kenneth McKenzie said last month that US troop presence in Afghanistan would be decreased to about 4,500 by early November.

According to the US-Taliban agreement signed in late February, the United States would reduce its forces in Afghanistan to 8,600 within 135 days till July 13.

The agreement also called for a full withdrawal of the US military forces from Afghanistan by May 2021 if the Taliban meets the conditions of the deal, including severing ties with terrorist groups.

US invasion of Afghanistan, since 2001, has caused over 100,000 deaths, including civilians, Afghan security forces, Taliban forces and US troops.