AKIPRESS.COM - US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump have made an unannounced Christmas visit to US troops in Iraq, BBC reports.

They travelled there "late on Christmas night" to thank troops for "their service, their success and their sacrifice", the White House said.

Mr Trump said the US had no plans to pull out of Iraq.

The trip came days after Defence Secretary Jim Mattis quit over divisions about strategy in the region.

The US still has some 5,000 troops in Iraq to support the government in its fight against what remains of the Islamic State (IS) group.

However, a planned meeting between Mr Trump and Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi was cancelled. Mr Mahdi's office said it was because of disagreements on how to conduct the meeting.

A phone call between the two leaders was held instead and the White House said Mr Mahdi had accepted an invitation to visit Washington.

.@FLOTUS Melania and I were honored to visit our incredible troops at Al Asad Air Base in Iraq. GOD BLESS THE U.S.A.! pic.twitter.com/rDlhITDvm1

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 26, 2018