RASC News Agency: Former U.S. President Donald Trump has once again reaffirmed his commitment to reclaiming American military equipment left behind in Afghanistan. Speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on Saturday, Trump expressed profound frustration, reiterating multiple times that he is incensed by footage of Taliban forces parading with U.S. weaponry. Addressing continued U.S. financial assistance to Afghanistan under Taliban control, Trump remarked, “Every year, we send approximately $2 to $2.5 billion to Afghanistan, even as our own nation faces pressing needs.” He emphasized that if these financial contributions are to persist, the Taliban must be compelled to return the abandoned American military assets.
“They’re selling our equipment,” Trump asserted. “If we are providing them with such substantial sums, the least we can demand is the return of our military hardware. They now possess tanks, vehicles, firearms, and night-vision technology superior to what we have, brand new, fresh out of the box. It’s absolutely outrageous.” Trump again underscored the staggering value of military assets left in Afghanistan, previously estimating the figure at approximately $80 billion. However, the U.S. Department of Defense has assessed the abandoned weaponry at a value exceeding $7 billion, encompassing military vehicles, advanced weaponry, biometric devices, and cutting-edge technological equipment.
Calling upon his administration to take decisive action, Trump reiterated that reclaiming these assets remains an urgent priority. This is not the first time he has emphasized the necessity of retrieving U.S. military equipment from Afghanistan it has been a recurring theme throughout his political campaigns. Meanwhile, Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid dismissed Trump’s assertions as mere electoral posturing, insisting in a recent discussion on SpaceX that such plans would never materialize. Mujahid further stated that the Taliban is safeguarding the U.S. military equipment left in Afghanistan. Reports from American oversight agencies indicate that over the past three and a half years, the U.S. has provided approximately $3.5 billion in aid to Afghanistan, despite Taliban governance.
Upon reassuming office, Trump moved swiftly to suspend U.S. humanitarian and development aid to Afghanistan, as well as to numerous other nations deepening the already precarious state of the Afghanistan economy.
