Republican lawmakers inundated President Joe Biden with more questions and critiques Tuesday as America awaited his appearance at press conference on Afghanistan, originally scheduled for noon Eastern but moved to over four hours later.
Biden was originally poised to speak on the ongoing crisis in Afghanistan at noon, hours after reports surfaced, indicating his decision to stick to the August 31 deadline to withdraw and complete evacuations after the Taliban said an extension would not be accepted. Meanwhile, thousands of Americans remain stranded in the jihadist-run country.
WASHINGTON, DC – AUGUST 18: The American flag sits next to a empty speaker podium before U.S. President Barack Obama gives a statement during a press conference in the Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House on August 18, 2014 in Washington, DC. Obama returned early from his vacation in Martha’s Vineyard to hold meetings with his national security team and also with U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder in regards to the situation in Iraq and the continuing violence in Ferguson, Missouri. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)
“Even if the Biden Admin doesn’t know the exact number of Americans still in Afghanistan, they could and should still reveal the number of Americans they DO KNOW are still in Afghanistan,” Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-NY) said on Tuesday, the day after Pentagon press secretary John Kirby refused to provide the number of Americans evacuated from the hostile area thus far:
“Actions speak louder than words and America is watching Joe Biden let the Afghanistan withdrawal spiral out of control,” Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ) remarked as Biden remained late to his scheduled address:
Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) offered a series of questions to Biden:
How many Americans are trapped in Afghanistan?
How many have we gotten out?
Can we get them all out by the Taliban’s August 31 deadline?
And if not, what is Joe Biden going to do?
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), meanwhile, told reporters there is “no way possible” for the U.S. to complete Afghanistan withdrawal by the looming August 31 deadline:
“While Americans remain stranded in Afghanistan, Biden takes orders from the Taliban. It’s unacceptable. We need to get every American out, and do whatever it takes,” Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) remarked, adding that Biden is continuing to show “how unfit he is to lead as commander in chief”:
Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS) penned a letter to Biden on Tuesday, emphasizing the fundamental importance of evacuating Americans and urging the president to “not to allow the Taliban to set the timetable for evacuations.”
“The United States should not answer to terrorists, and it is deeply troubling that the terms of U.S. evacuations are being set by the Taliban,” he said:
“The world just witnessed the President of the United States take orders from a band of barbaric terrorists while ignoring the pleas of our international allies and American citizens he will leave behind,” Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-TX) said, striking a similar tone and declaring the president a “coward”:
“Joe Biden put Taliban in charge,” Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) declared:
Biden is expected to speak at 4:30 p.m. Eastern. Prior to his speech, reports began to surface indicating the U.S. military is beginning to withdraw troops from Afghanistan.