Washington (CNN) - The commander of US Central Command, which oversees military operations in the Middle East, said Tuesday he "was not consulted" prior to President Donald Trump's December announcement that the US would withdraw its troops from Syria.

And despite Trump's claims that ISIS has been defeated, Gen. Joseph Votel said the fight against the terror group is "not over" and warned ISIS could regroup after US troops leave.

"I was not aware of the specific announcement. Certainly we are aware that he had expressed a desire and intent in the past to depart Iraq, depart Syria," Votel said during a Tuesday hearing held by the Senate Armed Services Committee.

"So you weren't consulted before that decision was announced?" Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, asked.
"We were not, I was not consulted," Votel responded.