The Kabul Tribune (KT) — Fox News reported that Donald Trump said the United States may recover military equipment left behind in Afghanistan following the 2021 withdrawal under former President Joe Biden.
Speaking to reporters during the G7 summit, Trump said he
could potentially regain the equipment abandoned during the U.S. military
withdrawal.
“I may get all that equipment back,” Trump said, adding that
while the equipment may now be outdated, recovering it would carry symbolic
importance.
Trump made the remarks while discussing a potential
agreement with Iran and broader foreign policy issues. He also criticized
Biden’s handling of the Afghanistan withdrawal, describing it as a “horrible
retreat” and accusing his administration of leaving behind military assets
without pressure.
According to the U.S. House Budget Committee, the equipment
left in Afghanistan included dozens of aircraft, thousands of vehicles, and
more than 300,000 weapons.
The U.S. Department of Defense estimated in June 2022 that
approximately $7.12 billion worth of military equipment fell into the hands of
the Taliban after they took control of the country following the withdrawal.
Trump and his allies have repeatedly criticized Biden’s
decision to end the nearly 20-year war, while officials from Biden’s
administration previously defended the move, arguing that the equipment had
been transferred to Afghan government forces before the Taliban takeover.
Biden said at the time that U.S.-trained Afghan security
forces were expected to resist the Taliban but ultimately failed to do so.
Since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, Afghanistan has
faced ongoing humanitarian and economic challenges, with millions of people
affected by food insecurity and restrictions on women’s education and
employment.
