Sullivan: We Had ‘Two Full Weeks’ Where ‘Any American’ Could Get out and Told Them to Leave, Some Had Extended Family That Couldn’t

On Tuesday’s broadcast of CNN’s “The Lead,” National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said that in Afghanistan, the U.S. “went out of our way, for two full weeks, to create the circumstances for any American who wanted to get to the airport and get on a plane to do so.” Although he also said that some Americans “wanted to bring very large extended family who were not Americans who couldn’t get through checkpoints.” Sullivan also said that “we gave nineteen messages starting in March to Americans to leave the country.”

After host Jake Tapper asked why Americans weren’t completely evacuated from the country, Sullivan stated, “I think it’s really important to answer your question to start with the fact that we gave nineteen messages starting in March to Americans to leave the country. We offered them financial assistance to leave the country, and then for more than two weeks, we gave them specific instructions for how to come. 97% of the people we communicated with got to the airport and got out on planes.”

He continued, “There’s a variety of reasons for why those remaining folks didn’t. Some changed their mind at the last minute. Some wanted to bring very large extended family who were not Americans who couldn’t get through checkpoints. Some may have shown up at the airport, although, I have to tell you, I’m not familiar, and General McKenzie spoke yesterday and said he was not familiar with anyone being turned away at the gate at the last minute. So, I had not heard that particular report. But the fact is, that we went out of our way, for two full weeks, to create the circumstances for any American who wanted to get to the airport and get on a plane to do so. And the question the president ultimately faced was, how long do I keep U.S. Marines in harm’s way with threats escalating hour by hour? How many more days do I do that? He ultimately decided it was right to end it and to shift to a diplomatic mission, and we have plenty of leverage with the Taliban to help effectuate the safe passage of any further Americans who want to leave Afghanistan.”

Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett