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Trump said the U.S. had received final confirmation of his death, saying \"His body was mutilated from the blast, the tunnel had caved in on it in addition, but test results gave certain immediate and totally positive identification. It was him.\"

\"PHOTO:
Shealah Craighead/The White House via Getty Images
PHOTO: President Donald Trump and government officials monitor developments as special operations forces close in on ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi's compound in Syria in the situation room at the White House, Oct. 26, 2019.
>

Joseph Votel, a retired four-star general, served as the commander of the United States Central Command both under Presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump. Since leaving his position in March, Votel has penned articles criticizing the president’s withdrawal of U.S. troops from Syria.

Votel has argued the U.S. should continue its fight against ISIS.

\"The U.S. should now focus on what elements it can influence – ensuring that ISIS cannot resurge and once again threaten America and its allies,\" Votel wrote in an article published in \"The Atlantic.\"

\"PHOTO:
Murad Sezer/Reuters
PHOTO: Smoke rises over the Syrian town of Ras al Ain, as seen from the Turkish border town of Ceylanpinar, in Sanliurfa province, Turkey, October 16, 2019.
>

Stavridis, a retired four-star admiral, served as NATO Supreme Allied Commander from 2009-2013.

\"A tyrannical, terrorist figure is gone. Full stop. Great news. Credit to the US Department of Defense and specifically our special forces,\" the admiral told Martha Raddatz, in an ABC Special Report before the president's address Sunday morning.

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