Trump Criticizes Afghanistan Exit, Says Leaving Bagram Was A Mistake

Donald Trump said the withdrawal from Afghanistan represented the weakest point in US history, citing the killing of 13 American soldiers in the Kabul airport bombing.

Speaking at the White House on Tuesday, Trump said his administration had also planned to leave Afghanistan but would have done so with strength and dignity.

He claimed that during his presidency the United States projected power, arguing that hostile groups refrained from acting against American forces.

Trump said the US should never have abandoned Bagram Air Base, describing it as a major strategic military installation with vast surrounding territory.

He also criticized the amount of US military equipment left behind, calling it shameful that the Taliban now display American gear in public parades.

The US withdrawal in August 2021 marked the end of America's longest war after nearly two decades of military presence in Afghanistan.

The chaotic exit followed the rapid collapse of the Afghanistan government, as Taliban forces swept into Kabul amid widespread confusion and panic.

Trump has repeatedly attacked former President Joe Biden over the withdrawal, both before and after returning to the White House, making it a central political issue.

US Defense Department reports estimate that more than $7 billion worth of American military equipment remained in Afghanistan, some of which the Taliban have since repaired and reused.

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