TRUMP'S THOUGHTS
When will ISIS be defeated in Iraq and Syria and what has Donald Trump said about it?
Trump's State of the Union speech addressed many topics, including the issue of ISIS
DONALD Trump's State of the Union speech addressed the issue of ISIS and whether or not it has been defeated.
But what exactly has he said about it? Here's the lowdown...
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When will ISIS be defeated in Iraq and Syria?
Trump has claimed that ISIS will be “100 per cent” defeated in Iraq and Syria by next week.
The US President today predicted that the terror group will have lost its final strongholds within days following "victory over victory".
He insisted the US would not relent in fighting the "sick and demented" extremists despite his decision to withdraw US troops from Syria.
Trump told representatives of a 79-member, US-led coalition fighting ISIS that the militants held a tiny percentage of the vast territory they once claimed as their "caliphate".
"It should be formally announced sometime, probably next week, that we will have 100 per cent of the caliphate," Trump said.
He added: “Over the past two years we have retaken 20,000 square miles of land; we have seen victory after victory after victory.
“We have retaken both Mosul and Raqqa. We’ve eliminated more than 60 high-value ISIS leaders.
“Tens of thousands of ISIS fighters are gone. They’re gone.”
US officials have said that ISIS has lost 99.5 per cent of its territory and is holding on to fewer than 5sq km in Syria in the Middle Euphrates River Valley.
"The United States military, our coalition partners and the Syrian Democratic Forces have liberated virtually all of the territory previously held by ISIS in Syria and Iraq," Mr Trump told foreign ministers.
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What else has Donald Trump said about it?
Last year, Trump declared victory over ISIS in December, claiming this was his "only reason for being there during the Trump Presidency."
Earlier that month, Trump proudly declared victory over the terror group while making it very clear he saw no further grounds for remaining in Syria.
Trump said in a video tweet the US military had “won against ISIS” and had “beaten them badly”.
The actual timing of the withdrawal was not immediately clear and officials who spoke to Reuters did not disclose details about why now.
Two US officials reportedly said a decision to withdraw had already been reached but that could not be immediately confirmed by the military.
It was also unclear how soon a decision detailing any withdrawal plans might actually be announced to the world.
The Pentagon and people in Trump’s administration have suggested the battle in Syria isn’t over.
Key senators have also claimed they were not briefed on the decision ahead of time which sparked criticism from some of the president’s strongest supporters.
Republican Representative Adam Kinzinger tweeted: “This is simply not true”.
Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, one of Trump’s biggest supporters, said it would be an “Obama-like mistake” and that the “biggest winners” are ISIS and Iran.
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What does ISIS stand for?
Many people have heard of the term ISIS, which is an acronym for the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.
It can also mean the Islamic State in al-Sham, the Arabic name for the region, and the group have said its goal is to create a caliphate in this region.
The name ISIS has proved an issue for many companies and brands, as it also belongs to an ancient Egyptian goddess.
The murderous network – known for its barbaric public executions – was originally part of al-Qaeda before splitting with the group over differences in ideology and methods.
It believes all Muslims should unite into a worldwide caliphate.
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