The US Defense Department is defending President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw 2,000 American troops out of Syria, saying the pull out is "deliberate, well thought-out, mutually supportive, and controlled."

Axar.az reports citing foreign media.

In a tweet on Friday, the Pentagon also called the withdrawal the "next phase" of Washington’s support to the so-called anti-ISIS coalition, but did not provide further detail about what that support looks like.

The tweet did not specify which parties were "mutually supportive" of the decision to withdraw U.S. troops.

Trump announced his decision to withdraw the US troops from Syria on Wednesday, asserting that the ISIS (ISIL) Takfiri terrorist group had been defeated.

Trump’s unexpected announcement shocked top US officials and allies.

French President Emmanuel Macron rebuked Trump over his decision to withdraw troops from Syria, saying "an ally must be reliable."

France, a leading member of the US-led coalition, has said it would keep troops in Syria.

The decision to withdraw ran counter to Defense Department and State Department messaging on US policy in Syria, and led to the resignation of Defense Secretary James Mattis.

Mattis wrote in his resignation that he and the president did not see eye to eye, adding that it was the president of the United States right to choose a defense secretary whose views were “better aligned” with the views of the Commander in Chief.