Official announcements from the U.S. Department of State or the White House

Blinken Testifies Before Republican-Led House Committee on Afghanistan Withdrawal

Dec 11, 2024, 03:29 PM

Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken is set to testify before the Republican-led House Foreign Affairs Committee on Wednesday regarding the August 2021 U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. The hearing, titled 'An Assessment of the State Department’s Withdrawal from Afghanistan by America’s Top Diplomat,' marks the culmination of months of tension between the State Department and the committee. Blinken's testimony is anticipated to address the chaotic withdrawal, which has been a point of contention. The committee, led by Chairman Michael McCaul, has accused the Biden administration of treating terrorists like 'diplomatic partners' and failing to address the Taliban’s violations of the Doha agreement. Blinken has expressed deep regrets over the deaths of U.S. troops in the Abbey Gate bombing during the withdrawal.