U.S. forces exit Iraq amid Iran war. And, SCOTUS revives Trump deportation policy

Up First briefing: U.S. leaves Iraq; SCOTUS on Deportations; AI rules : NPR

Up First briefing: U.S. leaves Iraq; SCOTUS on Deportations; AI rules The U.S. has withdrawn its final troops from Iraq, leaving its defense future uncertain. And, the Supreme Court has sided for now with the Trump administration on third-country deportations.

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The last U.S. forces have left Iraq , more than two decades after the U.S.-led invasion that overthrew Saddam Hussein . Iraq has declared today "Sovereignty Day." The withdrawal comes as attacks linked to the U.S.-Iran war raise new questions about Iraq's ability to defend itself without U.S. air defenses.

A US Air Force C-130 Hercules military transport aircraft prepares for takeoff from Camp Victory on the outskirts of Baghdad International Airport on Sept. 29, 2026.

🎧 The Kurdish region of Iraq has been hit hard during the U.S. war with Iran, leaving its leaders concerned about their defenses, NPR's Jane Arraf tells Up First . This is not the first U.S. withdrawal from Iraq: Troops also left in 2011, before returning three years later to help fight ISIS. Iran-backed militias are celebrating the withdrawal. Arraf says many Iraqis enjoying the holiday today want what they have long wanted for their families : a normal, peaceful life.

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