The Afghanistan Conundrum: Trump's Take On America's Longest War

Former US President Donald Trump has been vocal about his criticism of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan, calling it a “shameful retreat” and blaming President Joe Biden for the “incompetence” of the operation. Trump has stated that the withdrawal was poorly handled and demanded the immediate return of all equipment and money spent. He also lamented the deaths of US troops and the seizure of military equipment by the Taliban. Trump's comments came on the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, which triggered the US invasion of Afghanistan in the first place.

Donald Trump called the withdrawal from Afghanistan by Joe Biden's administration incompetent

Former US President Donald Trump has been vocal about his criticism of the Biden administration's handling of the withdrawal from Afghanistan. On the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, Trump released a video message slamming the Biden administration for its "incompetence" in withdrawing from Afghanistan. He blamed the administration for the deaths of 13 US troops in a bomb blast in Kabul and the seizure of billions of dollars' worth of US military equipment by the Taliban. Trump accused President Biden of surrendering in defeat and embarrassing the country.

Trump further stated that the withdrawal from Afghanistan was the worst in history, calling it "feeble-brained" and accusing the Biden administration of being more focused on arbitrary targets than on executing the mission. He demanded the immediate return of all equipment and money to the US and threatened the use of military force if his demands were not met. Trump's comments sparked strong reactions from other Republican figures, who echoed his sentiments and criticised the Biden administration's leadership.

Trump's criticism of the Biden administration's withdrawal from Afghanistan is part of a broader narrative among Republicans blaming Biden for the "disastrous pullout." They argue that the decision to withdraw troops had severe consequences for the security of the country and the viability of the Afghan government. However, it is important to note that the White House has defended Biden's actions, stating that he ended a war with no end in sight and prioritised the safety of American citizens and allies.

The withdrawal from Afghanistan has been a highly contentious issue, with some arguing that the Trump administration also played a role in the chaotic exit. A US State Department report criticised the handling of the evacuation, stating that decisions by both the Trump and Biden administrations impacted the security of the country. The report highlighted a lack of coordination and planning during the evacuation, which resulted in a rushed and disorganised process.

Trump criticised the Biden administration for not demanding the return of equipment worth USD 85 billion

Former US President Donald Trump has been vocal about his criticism of the Biden administration's handling of the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan. Trump has repeatedly asserted that the Biden administration left behind military equipment worth USD 85 billion in Afghanistan, which has now fallen into the hands of the Taliban. In a statement released on August 30, 2021, Trump said:

> "Never in history has a withdrawal from war been handled so badly or incompetently as the Biden Administration's withdrawal from Afghanistan. In addition to the obvious, ALL EQUIPMENT should be demanded to be immediately returned to the United States, and that includes every penny of the USD 85 billion dollars in cost. If it is not handed back, we should either go in with unequivocal Military force and get it, or at least bomb the hell out of it. Nobody ever thought such stupidity, as this feeble-brained withdrawal, was possible!"

Trump's claim about the value of the equipment left behind is based on a report from the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR). According to SIGAR, the US government had appropriated approximately USD 144.98 billion for reconstruction and related activities in Afghanistan since 2002. This included USD 88.61 billion for security, with USD 4.60 billion allocated specifically for counternarcotics initiatives. While the USD 85 billion figure touted by Trump is close to the overall security funding, it is important to note that not all of this money was spent on equipment.

The SIGAR report further breaks down the funding, showing that USD 82.9 billion was appropriated for the Afghanistan Security Forces Fund (ASFF), which provided funds for training, equipment, and related assistance to the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF). Of this amount, approximately USD 75 billion had been disbursed. However, a Government Accountability Office report from 2017 revealed that only about 29% of the funds allocated to the ASFF between 2005 and 2016 were spent on equipment and transportation. This would amount to around USD 24 billion for equipment and transportation costs since 2001 if this percentage were applied to the entire two-decade period.

While the exact value of the equipment left behind is unknown, defense officials have confirmed that it is significant. However, it is important to consider that some of the equipment may have become obsolete over time, and the Taliban's ability to utilize all of it is uncertain. Trump's criticism of the Biden administration regarding the USD 85 billion worth of equipment left behind in Afghanistan highlights his strong opposition to the handling of the US withdrawal from the country.

Trump said that the US should go in with unequivocal military force to retrieve the equipment

In the wake of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan, former President Donald Trump stated that the US should "demand" that all equipment be returned to the country. He went on to say that if the equipment was not handed back, the US should "go in with unequivocal military force and get it".

Trump's comments came as the US flew its last military flight out of Kabul, bringing an end to the longest American war and seeing the Taliban regain power. The withdrawal had been negotiated by Trump's successor, President Joe Biden, who retained Special Representative for Afghan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad to carry out the final negotiations.

Trump's suggestion that the US should use military force to retrieve the equipment was part of a broader criticism of the way in which the withdrawal was handled. He described it as the "most incompetent" in history, blaming bad planning, incredible weakness and leaders who truly didn't understand what was happening. He also lamented the deaths of 13 US troops in a bomb blast in Kabul and the billions of dollars' worth of US military equipment that was left behind and seized by the Taliban.

Trump's comments were echoed by other Republican figures, including Congressman Mark Green, who called the withdrawal a "disgrace" and accused Biden of "abandoning Americans". Republican Congressman Lee Zeldin, a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and US Army veteran, also criticised the withdrawal, noting that $85 billion in US weapons and equipment was now in Taliban hands.

In response to the criticism, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre defended Biden's handling of the withdrawal, arguing that the US had spent "billions of dollars on a war with no end in sight" and that Biden "wanted to end that". A White House report also blamed the chaotic nature of the withdrawal on a lack of planning and troop reduction by the Trump administration following a 2020 deal with the Taliban.

Trump blamed the loss of 13 US troops in a bomb blast in Kabul on the Biden administration

On the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, former US President Donald Trump criticized the Biden administration for the "incompetence" over the Afghan withdrawal. He blamed the Biden administration for the deaths of 13 US troops in a bomb blast in Kabul, Afghanistan. Trump called it a "sad time" for the way the war in Afghanistan ended. He also criticized the billions of dollars' worth of US military equipment that was left behind and seized by the Taliban.

Trump's statement came after a suicide bombing killed 13 US troops and injured 18 others outside the Kabul airport in Afghanistan. The Islamic State in Khorasan claimed responsibility for the attack, which also killed over 150 Afghan civilians. The attack marked one of the deadliest days for US forces in Afghanistan in the 20 years since the allied invasion.

Trump blamed the Biden administration for the chaotic US pullout and evacuation operation, arguing that it was due to a lack of planning and troop reduction rounds following a 2020 deal with the Taliban to withdraw US forces. He accused the Biden administration of trying to shift blame for their "grossly incompetent surrender" in Afghanistan.

Trump's spokesperson, Steven Cheung, echoed this sentiment, stating, "There's only one person responsible for the disastrous pullout of Afghanistan – Joe Biden." Trump's response to the situation in Afghanistan has been criticized by members of both major political parties. He has been accused of negotiating with the Taliban and setting the May 2021 withdrawal deadline, which put the Biden administration in a difficult position.

Trump has repeatedly defended his actions, arguing that his administration's deal with the Taliban prevented attacks on American troops. He has also asserted that the decision to withdraw from Afghanistan was necessary to end the 20-year-long war.

Trump said that the Biden administration made the leader of the US look like a fool

Former US President Donald Trump has been vocal about his criticism of the Biden administration's handling of the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan. On the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, Trump released a video message slamming the Biden administration for their "incompetence" in withdrawing from Afghanistan. He said that the "leader of our country was made to look like a fool", referring to President Biden, and that this should never be allowed to happen. Trump also lamented the deaths of 13 US troops in a bomb blast in Kabul and the billions of dollars' worth of US military equipment left behind for the Taliban, without a single shot being fired.

Trump further emphasised his disapproval by stating that the withdrawal from the Afghanistan war was the worst in history. He demanded that all equipment and money spent be immediately returned to the United States. He also suggested that if this did not occur, the US should utilise military force to reclaim what was left behind. Trump went on to say that the Biden administration was more focused on arbitrary targets rather than executing the mission that serves America's interests.

Trump's comments were echoed by former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who stated that there was no obligation for the departure date and that the obligation was to the American people and their security. Trump's successor, President Joe Biden, retained Special Representative for Afghan Reconciliation, Zalmay Khalilzad, to carry out the last-mile negotiations with the Taliban.

The Biden administration defended its handling of the Afghanistan withdrawal, stating that the President had to make a decision to end a war with no end in sight. The White House also released a report blaming the chaotic pullout on a lack of planning and troop reduction by the Trump administration following a 2020 deal with the Taliban. The report highlighted that Trump's decisions severely constrained Biden's choices for how to execute the withdrawal.

Frequently asked questions