U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis is leading an internal Pentagon review of options to propose to President Donald Trump to intensify the war against the Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL) and ultimately defeat the jihadist group.
While campaigning, the president vowed to ask military leaders to formulate a plan within 30 days of taking office on how to defeat ISIS, which the president alluded to during his inaugural address last Friday.
Citing unnamed defense officials, CNN reports that Trump’s defense secretary, along with Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Joseph Dunford, is preparing to present initial ideas to the president as soon as this week.
The internal Pentagon review on options to combat ISIS will reportedly encompass military advice from Dunford and Gen. Joseph Votel, the chief of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), which is in charge of operations in the Middle East and Afghanistan.
President Trump is expected to visit the Pentagon on Friday. READ MORE