Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump exchanged sharp words over the US withdrawal from Afghanistan, with Harris defending President Joe Biden’s decision and attacking Trump for his handling of negotiations with the Taliban.
Harris supported the withdrawal, stating it was something that four previous presidents had wanted but failed to do. She emphasized that it saved $300 million per day that was being spent on maintaining a presence in Afghanistan. However, she criticized Trump for making a deal with the Taliban, which she described as weak and flawed. “He bypassed the Afghan government and negotiated directly with a terrorist organization,” Harris said, referring to Trump’s agreement to release 5,000 Taliban fighters and his invitation to the Taliban to Camp David. She argued that Trump lacked the responsibility and respect required of the president.
In response, Trump defended his approach, claiming that his negotiations with the Taliban helped reduce US casualties. He recounted a conversation with Taliban leader Abdul, warning him of consequences if the group continued to attack American forces. According to Trump, the agreement negotiated by his administration was effective, and it was Biden’s mishandling of the situation that led to chaos, including the loss of military equipment and the deaths of American soldiers.
Trump also asserted that the Taliban failed to uphold their part of the deal, which led to the agreement being terminated. He insisted that under his administration, the US would have withdrawn more quickly and without the same level of loss.
