Trump’s Warning To Military Generals

President Trump has made it clear that he holds the military leadership responsible for the botched U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, calling for the firing of every general involved. During a recent Cabinet meeting, he expressed his frustration with the chaotic and deadly exit that unfolded under President Biden’s leadership in August 2021. Trump, sitting beside Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, strongly asserted that the military officers responsible should be held accountable.

When asked if he would fire the military officials who oversaw the withdrawal, Trump remarked, “I’m not going to tell this man what to do, but I will say that if I had his place, I’d fire every single one of them.” Hegseth, who is overseeing the Pentagon’s review of the situation, responded by assuring that the department is conducting a thorough review to ensure accountability for the disastrous pullout.

Trump has been vocally critical of the U.S. exit from Afghanistan, which, although initiated during his presidency with a 2020 deal with the Taliban, became a catastrophe under Biden’s watch. The agreement negotiated by Trump set the stage for the withdrawal but was delayed under Biden, leading to the deaths of 13 U.S. service members and more than 170 Afghans during a suicide bombing near Kabul’s Abbey Gate. In addition, the rapid collapse of the Afghan government allowed the Taliban to seize control of U.S. military equipment left behind in the chaos.

One of Trump’s main grievances has been the vast amount of American military hardware that was abandoned. He called on the Taliban to return the billions of dollars’ worth of U.S. equipment left behind, including trucks and rifles. Trump expressed concerns that the Taliban is selling this equipment, making Afghanistan one of the largest military suppliers in the world. He also suggested that the U.S. should have maintained control over Bagram Air Base, the largest U.S. military base in Afghanistan, which is now under Taliban control. Trump even claimed that China’s military has taken over the base, a claim that China has denied.

While it’s common for the military to leave behind certain equipment during a withdrawal due to the high costs of removal, sensitive technology such as aircraft and communications gear is typically destroyed to prevent it from falling into enemy hands. However, the sheer scale of what was left behind in Afghanistan has raised serious questions about the Biden administration’s handling of the situation. The Pentagon’s review, coupled with the Trump administration’s original plan, highlights the need for transparency and accountability in the aftermath of this disastrous exit.