WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump is at the Pentagon where his talks are expected to touch on the final battle to retake the Islamic State group’s last pocket of territory in Syria.
Trump is meeting with acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan, who’s been at the helm of the Pentagon since Jan. 1. He took over when Jim Mattis left, following Trump’s decision to pull U.S. troops out of Syria. Trump hasn’t said if he’s nominating Shanahan for the post.
Shanahan faced tough questions from senators on Thursday about Trump’s desire to use $7 billion in military construction project funds to pay for a wall on the southern border.
The administration also is facing new opposition from the Afghan government, which says it’s being left in the dark about U.S. talks with the Taliban.
