On Friday’s broadcast of the Fox News Channel’s “The Story,” Biden Campaign Co-Chair Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE) stated that “there were some issues that should have been addressed” with the Afghanistan withdrawal, but the fact that 2024 Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump has been strongly critiqued by his own vice president and secretary of Defense “is far more alarming than what internal policy decisions Joe Biden made to discipline or not discipline folks” over the withdrawal.
After Coons said [relevant exchange begins around 3:50] that Trump’s former vice president, secretary of Defense, and chief of staff have said that he shouldn’t be back in the White House, host Martha MacCallum cut in to ask, “[J]ust because you brought up this about those individuals, what former President Trump said last night is why didn’t President Biden fire anyone for what happened in Afghanistan? Can you answer that question? Why didn’t he?”
Coons responded, “So, the point you’re just reminding us of is that former President Trump has a vice president and a former secretary of Defense who say that they worked with him closely, and he should not be trusted with our nation’s security. That, to me, is far more alarming than what internal policy decisions Joe Biden made to discipline or not discipline folks about the surrender — about the loss of our position in Afghanistan.”
MacCallum then cut in to ask, “Do you believe no one should have been fired for what happened in Afghanistan? Do you agree with his decision on that?”
After Coons said he couldn’t hear the question well and asked MacCallum to repeat it, she asked, “I’m just asking if you think — if you agree that no one should have been fired for the debacle and chaos in Afghanistan with the exit?”
Coons answered, “I think that former President Trump made concessions to the Taliban that made our position in Afghanistan untenable, and that President Biden made hard choices. The execution of the withdrawal, frankly, I do think that there were some issues that should have been addressed. But I was not in the details about the coordination between the Defense Department, the State Department, and the after-action. I will say this, in standing up for freedom and defending Ukraine, I am proud of the job Joe Biden has done corralling 50 allies around the world, and I am alarmed by what Donald Trump said last night, that he would let Russia do whatever the hell they want to our NATO allies if they aren’t paying their fair share. When it comes to keeping us safe around the world and fighting for average American families, Joe Biden has a great record. And I look forward to supporting him for his election this fall.”
Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett