WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson issued a statement condemning the Biden-Harris Administration following the release of a report by House Foreign Affairs Committee Republicans. The report, stemming from a three-year investigation, scrutinizes the administration’s handling of the 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan, a chaotic event that resulted in the deaths of 13 American servicemembers and a significant shift in the geopolitical landscape.
“Our House Foreign Affairs Committee Republicans have carefully and methodically investigated the Biden-Harris Administration’s failed withdrawal from Afghanistan,” said Speaker Johnson. “This report paints an incriminating picture of an administration concerned with optics and public perception rather than accountability and the safety of American personnel.”
The report accuses the administration of failing in its duty to protect U.S. soldiers and State Department personnel during the withdrawal and alleges that officials deliberately misled the public about their management of the situation. Speaker Johnson emphasized that the fallout from the withdrawal has had severe consequences, including the return of the Taliban to power in Afghanistan, the emboldening of terrorist groups, and the abandonment of billions of dollars’ worth of military equipment.
“Because of this failed withdrawal, the Taliban once again controls Afghanistan, terrorists have been emboldened, billions of dollars of weapons and equipment were left behind, and America has lost the trust of our allies,” Johnson stated. He also criticized the administration for failing to hold any officials accountable for what he described as a catastrophic failure.
The Speaker concluded his remarks by asserting the importance of maintaining an accurate historical record of the events surrounding the withdrawal. “We must not allow the Biden-Harris Administration to rewrite history. The families of the 13 fallen servicemembers and the allies we abandoned in Afghanistan deserve better,” Johnson said, expressing gratitude to Chairman Michael McCaul and the House Foreign Affairs Committee for their investigative efforts.