The Biden family has been awfully quiet. There’s a reason for that.
Because Trump’s Secretary of Defense just announced a groundbreaking investigation into the Biden administration.
Pentagon to Review 2021 Afghanistan Withdrawal Amidst Growing Criticism
On Wednesday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that the Pentagon would conduct a “complete review” of the U.S. military’s withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. This decision comes nearly four years after the chaotic exit, which occurred under the leadership of former President Joe Biden. The withdrawal, ordered by Biden in August 2021, marked the end of the U.S.’s nearly two-decade-long involvement in the Middle Eastern country, but it was marred by significant controversy and criticism.
The Biden administration’s exit plan came as the Taliban rapidly overtook the country. As U.S. forces withdrew, a deadly bombing occurred outside Kabul’s Hamid Karzai International Airport, resulting in the tragic deaths of 13 U.S. service members. This event highlighted the chaotic and dangerous nature of the withdrawal, which was met with widespread condemnation from both domestic and international observers.
In response to the criticism, Hegseth and President Donald Trump have now pledged to seek accountability for the botched evacuation. The two figures made their statements ahead of the first full Cabinet meeting of the new administration, with Trump specifically calling for the firing of those responsible for the operation.
“I’m not going to tell this man what to do, but I will say that if I had his place I’d fire every single one of them,” Trump said, referring to Hegseth in his comments about the generals involved in the withdrawal. Hegseth’s office has not commented in response to the comments from President Trump.
🚨REPORTER: "Mr. President, you were just talking the botched withdrawal in Afghanistan. Have all the generals involved been fired?"
TRUMP: "That's a great idea. I'm not going to tell Pete Hegseth what to do, but if I were in his place, I'd fire every single one of them." 😂 pic.twitter.com/TwHK9n9Ndj
— Autism Capital 🧩 (@AutismCapital) February 26, 2025
Although Hegseth stopped short of committing to fire the military officials responsible for the evacuation, he did announce that a thorough review of the events leading up to and following the withdrawal would take place.
“We’re doing a complete review of every single aspect of what happened with the botched withdrawal of Afghanistan and plan to have full accountability,” Hegseth said. “We’re taking a very different view, obviously, than the previous administration, and there will be full accountability.”
However, Hegseth did not offer further details about the nature of the review, including specifics on who would lead it, what areas would be examined, or when a final report might be expected, according to the Washington Examiner.
The announcement of the review comes in the midst of continued debate over the 2021 withdrawal. The Biden administration has largely framed the evacuation as a success, highlighting the rapid removal of U.S. forces after 20 years of military presence in Afghanistan. Yet, many Republicans have strongly criticized the operation, with many asserting that the Biden administration prioritized political optics over the real dangers involved in the evacuation process.
A report from House Republicans released last year slammed the decision to withdraw, claiming that it was not based on the security situation in Afghanistan or the strategic advice of military advisors and allies. Instead, the report suggested that President Biden’s decision was driven by his long-standing belief that the U.S. should no longer be involved in Afghanistan, regardless of the risks or the consequences.
“The evidence proves President Biden’s decision to withdraw all U.S. troops was not based on the security situation, the Doha Agreement, or the advice of his senior national security advisors or our allies,” the report stated. “Rather, it was premised on his longstanding and unyielding opinion that the United States should no longer be in Afghanistan.”
Secretary Of Defense, Pete Hegseth, Announces A Full Review Of The Botched Afghanistan Withdrawal.#OAN #Breaking #Latest #Military #Investigation pic.twitter.com/4hG7Bfk1BF
— One America News (@OANN) February 26, 2025
In the first cabinet meeting of his second administration, President Donald Trump was asked about potential actions against military officers involved in the planning of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. The withdrawal, which was negotiated by his administration during its first term through talks with the Taliban, was ultimately carried out under President Joe Biden in August 2021.
Trump’s response quickly shifted focus, moving from the question at hand to expressing his belief that the U.S. should have maintained control over Bagram Air Base, a strategic airfield located in Afghanistan’s Parwan Province. He claimed that China’s People’s Liberation Army had taken control of the base after the U.S. left, although China has denied this accusation. Trump also criticized the withdrawal, particularly the amount of equipment left behind by U.S. forces.
“We left billions, tens of billions of dollars worth of equipment behind, brand new trucks,” Trump said. “You see them display it every year, or their little roadway, someplace where they have a road and they drive the, you know, waving the flag and talking about America… that’s all the top of the line stuff.” He went on to express a desire for the U.S. to recover much of that equipment, adding, “I think we should get a lot of that equipment back.”
The President also claimed that the Taliban, which now controls Afghanistan, was selling the American-made military gear on a large scale. According to Trump, this situation turned Afghanistan into “one of the biggest sellers of military equipment in the world.”
“Can you believe it? They’re selling 777,000 rifles, 70,000 armor-plated trucks and vehicles… this is 70,000 vehicles we had there, and we left it for them. I think we should get it back,” Trump said, further emphasizing his dissatisfaction with the handling of the withdrawal.
The review announced by Hegseth signals an ongoing effort to address the fallout from the controversial withdrawal, although questions remain about the scope and timeline of the investigation. With growing partisan divisions over the handling of the exit, it seems unlikely that the debate over the 2021 Afghanistan withdrawal will subside any time soon.
Stay tuned to the DC Daily Journal.
