President Joe Biden left his home in Delaware for the presidential retreat at Camp David on Friday, even as news spread of Afghanistan rapidly losing territory to the Taliban.
The White House announced that there were no public events scheduled while Biden resides at Camp David until Wednesday, August 18.
Last week, Biden spent a four-day weekend at his home in Wilmington, Delaware, before returning to Washington, DC, for a day to celebrate the Senate passing his signature infrastructure deal with Republicans.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki defended his decision to take time off at the presidential retreat.
“He likes Camp David,” she said at a press briefing on Wednesday. “It’s a place to be outside, spend time with family, and certainly has beautiful, beautiful scenery there.”
As Biden traveled from Wilmington to Camp David, he did not answer any shouted questions from reporters about the situation in Afghanistan.
The president last spoke publicly about Afghanistan during remarks at the White House on Tuesday.
“They’ve got to fight for themselves, fight for their nation,” Biden said, repeating that he did not regret his decision to withdraw U.S. troops.
The situation in Afghanistan has grown dire, as the Taliban has rapidly seized territory and military equipment from the Afghan government.
American officials in Afghanistan are evacuating Kabul, destroying sensitive information and equipment, according to reports.
Biden ordered 3,000 American troops back into Afghanistan to help secure Americans in the country as they continued to evacuate.
The White House posted an update on the president’s actions on social media Friday, showing him sitting in a chair, talking on the phone.
“Today President Biden spoke with Secretary Blinken, Secretary Austin, and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan about the ongoing efforts to safely drawdown the civilian footprint in Afghanistan,” the post read.
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