On Monday, US President Joe Biden underlined that withdrawing troops from Afghanistan was "the right one for America."
It's Obama's first broadcast address since the Taliban declared victory in Afghanistan on Sunday night. It also comes as tens of thousands of civilians have flocked to Kabul's airport, trying to flee.
According to authorities, Biden was scheduled to come to the White House from Camp David, where he had cut short his vacation for the national address.
So, what did Biden have to say?
"I am a firm believer in my decision. After 20 years, I've learned the hard way that withdrawing forces is never a wise idea "Biden stated the following.
Despite the fact that Afghanistan's collapse was faster than anticipated, Biden asserted that the US "planned for every contingency" and blamed Afghan forces.
"The truth is that everything happened far faster than we expected. So, what exactly happened? Political leaders in Afghanistan have given up and departed the country. The Afghan military surrendered, often without even attempting to fight back "Biden stated the following.
"American troops cannot and should not be fighting the war, and dying in a war that Afghan forces are not willing to fight for themselves."
Faced with domestic and international outrage, Biden said he would rather take the heat for the Afghan aftermath than leave the decision to another president. He emphasized that he "inherited" a deal with the Taliban struck by his predecessor, former US President Donald Trump.
Biden stated that the US will continue to press for regional diplomacy and speak out for the Afghan people's basic rights.
Despite this, Biden has promised to use force if the Taliban assault US people or hinder military operations at Kabul Airport.
A longer conflict in Afghanistan, he added, would have favored Washington's "true strategic competitors," Russia and China. Moscow and Beijing "would love nothing more than the United States to continue to funnel billions of dollars in resources and attention in stabilizing Afghanistan indefinitely," Biden said.
Biden under pressure
Biden has come under growing scrutiny, including from NATO allies, for his decision to keep US forces out of the country.
Biden defended the pullout as the only option in a written statement released on Saturday.
"One more year, or five more years, of US military presence, would not have made a difference if the Afghan military cannot or will not hold its own country," the president stated.
Biden has also been chastised by US senators, who claim he has failed to establish an effective departure strategy from Afghanistan.
