Two lawmakers told The Washington Post that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told members of Congress on a conference call Friday that Americans attempting to flee Afghanistan were beaten by the Taliban, directly contradicting President Biden's claim that U.S. citizens were not being barred from the airport.
Austin, speaking in a more worried tone than the president, termed the Taliban's torture of Americans "unacceptable," as senators demanded answers on how the Biden administration is working to get US people and friends out of the country.
One senior GOP congressman told The Washington Post that “within 30 minutes of Biden saying it publicly, the Secretary of Defense directly contradicted him.”
Multiple GOP lawmakers said the briefing with Austin, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mark Milley did little to assuage their concerns about the safety of Americans and Afghan allies, with critics claiming they received conflicting information and few details on a viable plan to evacuate citizens from the country as the situation worsened.
A second Republican congressman said that the conversation was cut short before all of the legislators' questions could be answered, with officials claiming that they had a "hard stop" despite the fact that this was not stated before the session.
“The big thing for me is that there's a huge gap between what Biden says on TV and what we hear in these calls,” said the person, who declined to be identified.
“And that's concerning because it either indicates that he's completely misinformed or that he's deceiving the country, both of which are serious issues. So, if we're going to get our soldiers out, protect our Afghan partners, and be good friends, we've got to start rebuilding those connections.
“At the very least, we should be honest with ourselves about what is going on,” the congressman continued.
Lawmakers also expressed worry that the administration is depending on the Taliban to transport civilians to the airport, stressing that the terrorist group has a history of being untrustworthy.
“The Taliban, we've been told [by Blinken], will not allow terrorists to operate. One House member stated, "Their number two is an Al Qaeda commander, and they are a terrorist organization."
“The Taliban are on the streets, beating Americans, Afghans, and our allies, and that's who we're negotiating with to get our people out and putting our faith in — it's insane,” said another.
Rep. Anthony Gonzalez (R-Ohio) claimed Biden's rhetoric contradicted various media reports on the ground, and that it was harmful to their attempts to send people and friends to safety.
“There is still a huge disconnect between President Biden's message to the American people and the reality on the ground. While the media reports about the Taliban roaming the streets assaulting Americans and our friends, he claims that Americans had no problem getting to the airport,” Gonzalez told The Washington Post.
“He claims he hasn't received any criticism from our allies, despite the fact that the British parliament condemns us from London. We need to be clear-eyed about the task if we are to send our soldiers home while also safeguarding our Afghan allies. We don't need to win a news conference right now; we need to win the mission and return our soldiers home while keeping our partners safe.”
Three Republican legislators who spoke to The Washington Post applauded Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) for questioning on the phone about how the Biden administration planned to get people out swiftly and pass checkpoints, claiming that it is a bipartisan issue.
Milley stated, "We're not turning our back on those who helped us," when told that instructions will be provided to individuals attempting to leave the nation from outside. However, one caller claimed that they are still "ignorant of the Taliban's control," and offered no specifics on how they plan to assist Americans who remain outside of Kabul.
“An alternate reality appears to exist. It all comes down to what occurs when passengers arrive at the airport. The gap is terrifying,” the lawmaker said.
According to several sources, during the conversation, Rep. Jason Crow (D-Colo.) questioned whether there were plans to increase security outside the airport's entrance or extend the deadline to evacuate US residents and Afghan allies beyond Aug. 31.
Blinken and Austin did not offer a number for the number of Americans who stayed in the nation, with Blinken noting that they are still figuring out where they are and whether or not they want to leave. We'll contact you with further information.”
Milley responded by telling lawmakers that the “security situation is likely to degrade” and that they are considering extending beyond the perimeter, according to sources on the call, while Austin stated that they are aiming to complete the mission by the end of the month, but that it will take longer if more time is provided.
Since the collapse of the Afghan government on Sunday, Congress has been increasingly frustrated by the lack of facts they have been given.
“He [Blinken] doesn't really respond to anything and just says nice things like I'm talking to our allies and I'm on the phone a lot. However, in terms of what's going on on the ground. “He doesn't seem to understand it,” stated the second legislator.
“The person who does is Austin, but there are a lot of things he says that I find disappointing, especially given that we still have Americans on the ground, Afghan partners attempting to flee the country, and our allies present. I don't agree with the tactical judgments they're making.”
A third Republican congressman voiced displeasure with Blinken for expressing confidence that the Taliban will work with the US and protect women's rights in the nation, telling The Washington Post that his capacity to maintain the job raises serious doubts.
They remarked, "He's from another planet." “I'm like, motherf—r, have you gone insane?
When challenged by Rep. Stephanie Bice (R-Oklahoma), neither Austin nor Blinken offered details on the number of Americans still in Afghanistan, according to numerous sources on the call, with Blinken assuring members that "we're finding out where they are and if they want to leave." We'll contact you with further information.”
The turmoil that has occurred since the bungled military pullout has portrayed weakness to foes, according to Rep. Guy Reschenthaler (R-Pa.), a member of House GOP leadership and a Navy veteran.
He added, "My takeaway from Biden's speech and Austin and Blinken's briefing is that these so-called leaders fear the Taliban much more than the Taliban fears them." “They can't connect the dots without admitting their own and Biden's failure. That's why this briefing feels like another world.”
