Hollywood star Ed Asner has defended President Joe Biden’s catastrophic handling of the withdrawal from Afghanistan, saying the president is “certainly not to blame” for the disastrous pull-out that left thousands of Americans stranded behind enemy lines and allowed valuable U.S. military equipment to fall into the hands of the Taliban.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the 91-year-old Ed Asner seemed to acknowledge the gravity of the situation.
“Afghanistan is a terrible setback for Biden, though he is certainly not to blame — he’s only been in office six months for God’s sake!” he said. “It’s a shame. But I’m sure he knows how to buckle under and take it. I think he’s done a great job with the welfare bill. And I think that we’ll be a bigger and better country when he comes to the end of his presidency.”
Presenter and Actor Ed Asner speaks on stage at the 17th Annual Golden Trailer Awards on May 04, 2016 in Beverly Hills, California. (Rich Polk/Getty Images for The Golden Trailer Awards)
Asner failed to mention that the Biden administration scrapped former President Donald Trump’s agreement to leave Afghanistan by May 1, leading the Taliban to abandon its side of the bargain and hastening the country’s fall to the Islamic extremist group.
US President Joe Biden delivers remarks on the terror attack at Hamid Karzai International Airport, and the US service members and Afghan victims killed and wounded, in the East Room of the White House, Washington, DC on August 26, 2021. (JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images)
Biden, who denied the likelihood of a Taliban takeover in recent weeks, also oversaw the catastrophic decision to withdraw troops before all U.S. citizens were evacuated.
A Taliban fighter stands guard at the site of the August 26 twin suicide bombs, which killed scores of people including 13 US troops, at Kabul airport on August 27, 2021. (Photo by WAKIL KOHSAR/AFP via Getty Images)
In the interview, Asner defended California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D), who is facing a brutal recall election. (Newsom was once related to Asner through marriage).
“He is a very, very bright, promising, honest politician who made a mistake. One of the many who have made mistakes in their lives. Not as many as Andrew Cuomo,” the actor said.
Throughout his Hollywood career, Asner has advocated for far-left political views, including socialism. The actor is a long-time member of the Democratic Socialists of America and has publicly promoted the ideology.
Follow David Ng on Twitter @HeyItsDavidNg. Have a tip? Contact me at dng@breitbart.com