RASC News Agency: U.S. President Donald Trump and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced on Wednesday that they are conducting a comprehensive review of the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan. Trump urged his defense secretary to remove all generals involved in overseeing the exit, holding them accountable for what he described as a “catastrophic failure.” “I won’t dictate orders to the Secretary of Defense,” Trump stated. “But if I were in his position, I would dismiss them all. I doubt the generals responsible for the Afghanistan debacle will see promotionscmost of them will be gone.”
During a cabinet meeting, both Trump and Hegseth underscored their administration’s commitment to accountability, drawing a sharp contrast with the previous government. Addressing the cabinet in Trump’s presence, Hegseth declared: “We are undertaking a full-scale review of every aspect of the failed withdrawal from Afghanistan and intend to take complete responsibility for the decisions made.” Reaffirming his demand for accountability, Trump insisted that those responsible for the deaths and injuries of American service members during the withdrawal must face consequences. He described the exit as “horrific,” recalling his personal conversations with the families of the 13 U.S. troops who were killed.
“Nobody talks about the 40 service members who were severely wounded those who lost arms, legs, faces; those who suffered amputations. The way that operation was handled was nothing short of disgraceful,” Trump said. The final American troops left Kabul on August 15, 2021. With the U.S. military’s departure and the abrupt escape of then-Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani, Afghanistan fell entirely into Taliban hands. The Biden administration’s current strategy regarding Afghanistan remains ambiguous. However, since returning to the White House, Trump has taken decisive measures, ordering an immediate halt to humanitarian aid to Afghanistan and vowing to reclaim the military equipment left behind. Despite these assertions, U.S. assistance to the Taliban has reportedly continued.
Trump also reiterated his condemnation of the decision to abandon Bagram Air Base, calling it a “strategic blunder of historic proportions.” He emphasized that the airbase once a critical asset for U.S. military operations in the region is now under Chinese control.
