President Trump calls the disastrous 2021 Afghanistan withdrawal under Joe Biden “the single most embarrassing moment in the history.” Thirteen U.S. servicemembers and hundreds of Afghans were killed in a suicide blast at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul during the chaotic operation. Meanwhile, we left behind billions in military equipment that quickly made it into the hands of the Taliban.
Simply put, it was an utter failure that permanently stained Biden’s legacy.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth hasn’t forgotten, and he wants answers:
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is instructing the Pentagon to launch a comprehensive review into the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.
President Joe Biden removed U.S. troops from Afghanistan in 2021, following up on existing plans from the first Trump administration in 2020 with Taliban leaders to end the war in the region.
The defense secretary posted the memo to social media Tuesday:
Memo regarding the Review of the U.S. Military Withdrawal from Afghanistan. pic.twitter.com/2V7Dt8biOm
— Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth (@SecDef) May 20, 2025
Related: Trump Destroys Bumbling Biden: 'Single Most Embarrassing Moment in the History of Our Country'
In addition to answers, Hegseth also is demanding accountability:
"The Department of Defense has an obligation, both to the American people and to the warfighters who sacrificed their youth in Afghanistan, to get to the facts," Hegseth said in a Tuesday memo. "This remains an important step toward regaining faith and trust with the American people and all those who wear the uniform and is prudent based on the number of casualties and equipment lost during the execution of this withdrawal operation."
As a result, Hegseth is directing Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell to spearhead a special review panel to evaluate previous investigations and to "analyze the decision making that led to one of America’s darkest and deadliest international moments."
"This team will ensure ACCOUNTABILITY to the American people and the warfighters of our great Nation," Hegseth said in the memo.
More: Never Forget: 13 Members of the Military Who Gave That Last Full Measure of Devotion in Kabul
The families of these fallen warriors deserve answers:
This Memorial Day let’s honor the 13 servicemembers who were kiIIed during Biden’s disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal.
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) May 27, 2024
Johanny Rosario Pichardo
Nicole L. Gee
Darin T. Hoover
Hunter Lopez
Daegan W. Page
Humberto A. Sanchez
David L. Espinoza
Jared M. Schmitz
Rylee J. McCollum
Dylan… pic.twitter.com/Yo4v1tbqUZ
Hegseth is getting the woke out of the military and returning the focus to things that matter. It’s far past time that we get answers on just what happened that August day, and it’s far past time for—as Hegseth—says, ACCOUNTABILITY.
"The Afghanistan move was the single most embarrassing moment in the history of our country."
— RSBN 🇺🇸 (@RSBNetwork) March 12, 2022
President Trump spoke with our @brianglenntv before tonight's rally! pic.twitter.com/4i31CDsUlP
Editor's Note: Thanks to President Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's leadership, the warrior ethos is coming back to America's military.
Help us report on Trump and Hegesth's successes as they make our military great again. Join RedState VIP and use promo code FIGHT to get 60% off your membership.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member