President Joe Biden's administration is facing its most major foreign policy debacle yet, after the long-awaited withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan allowed the Taliban to retake control of the country, with Taliban fighters overtaking the presidential palace just this weekend.
Afghans who assisted western forces, as well as families and anyone who resists Taliban rule, will be major targets of the group's violence. This urgency has resulted in chaos at the airport in Kabul, where thousands are desperately trying to find a way out of the country.
While Biden is facing the brunt of the criticism as the one currently occupying the White House, every President in the past two decades, from both parties, has policy decisions to answer for in prolonging a war that cost hundreds of thousands of lives, nearly a trillion dollars, and 20 years of war with no lasting progress to show for it.
One such President is Donald Trump, whose term was marked by unprecedented goodwill toward the Taliban, advocating for the release of 5000 Taliban members from prison and even inviting the group to Camp David on the week of September 11.
Currently, Trump is railing against the Biden administration, whom he claims is completely responsible for the collapse. Trump said Biden should "resign in disgrace" over the botched withdrawal.
But less than two months ago, during a speech in Ohio, Trump credited himself with beginning the withdrawal process, and even claimed the Biden administration tried to stop it.
Trump told the crowd:
"[B]y the way, I started the process. All the troops are coming back home. They couldn't stop the process. 21 years is enough. Don't we think? 21 years. They couldn't stop the process. They wanted to, but it was very tough to stop the process ... It's a shame. 21 years, by a government that wouldn't last. The only way they last is if we're there. What are we going to say? We'll stay for another 21 years, then we'll stay for another 50. The whole thing is ridiculous. So we're bringing our troops back home from Iraq. We're bringing troops come from Afghanistan."
Though Trump fully endorsed a speedy withdrawal of troops from the region, he now claims the withdrawal he took credit for in late June would've been executed completely differently had he been in the White House.
People are calling out Republicans currently laying the blame solely on Biden.
There's growing concern on whether the U.S. will do enough to safely evacuate refugees endangered as a result of working with the United States.
Trump is currently accused of deleting from his site previous statements expressing support for a swift withdrawal.
