Trump Administration Faces Daunting Challenges in Afghanistan

One of the most daunting foreign policy tasks facing the Trump Administration is determining America’s path forward in Afghanistan. From the time he launched his campaign until assuming the Oval Office two weeks ago, U.S. President Donald Trump has shied away from outlining a vision for Afghanistan, which begs the question: how will the Trump Administration approach the longest war in U.S. history?

During his Senate confirmation hearing on January 12, U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis was asked, “What are the U.S. national security interests and objectives in Afghanistan, and what strategy do you recommend to achieve them?” His response, “We all remember what it felt like on 9/11 and 9/12. We should do what is necessary to prevent such an attack from occurring again.”