Under heavy security and extreme secrecy, Vice President Mike Pence made a surprise Thursday visit to Afghanistan.

Before he made his trip, Pence asked president Trump what message he wanted delivered to the troops. Here is what he said:

Before I left the White House yesterday, I asked Trump if he had a message for our troops here in Afghanistan. And he looked at me and said, “Tell them I love them.”

And he did.

WATCH:

Before I left the @WhiteHouse yesterday, I asked @POTUS Trump if he had a message for our troops here in Afghanistan. And he looked at me and said, “Tell them I love them.” pic.twitter.com/PO4F7Z5vOx

— Vice President Mike Pence (@VP) December 21, 2017

The visit was the first for Trump or Pence to the war-torn country. Pence is visiting after the administration rolled out it’s new Afghanistan policy, “fight to win.”

Pence met with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani to discus security concerns and the Taliban. Then Pence traveled to Bagram Air Field, there hundreds of members of the armed forces were gathered in a hangar, waiting. Pence joined Gen. John Nicholson, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, onstage for a rally.

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Pence’s speech focused on encouraging the troops, containing the Taliban and al-Qaida in the region. Pence hi-lighted the administration’s focus on “winning” and no the Obama “time-based” approach.