Having been largely silent in the last few days as the disaster erupts in Afghanistan, it appears President Biden has ignored the reported advice of Dr. Jill – that he doesn’t need to return from Camp David and can project his power from anywhere – and is returning to the White House from Camp David and deliver an address on the crisis in Afghanistan at 3:45 p.m. ET, following the collapse of the Afghan government and the Taliban’s declaration of victory.
Having been proven completely incorrect on his recent projections on what would happen after the US military withdrawal…
This may become the most infamous — and devastating — press conference ever held by an American President. pic.twitter.com/j4kKwyPDVm
— BDW (@BryanDeanWright) August 15, 2021
The question is – what will he say?
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Will he admit the total failure of US intelligence in seeing this devastating credibility-crushing move by the Taliban?
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Will be admit that this is exactly the “Saigon” moment for his administration?
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Will Ghani and his military be thrown under the bus as cowards?
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Will he deflect, blame Trump, and call the actions “inevitable”?
Note that White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said Monday that Biden did not believe it was “inevitable” that the Taliban would take control of Afghanistan, citing the 20 years and billions of dollars that the U.S. has spent training the Afghan security forces.
Promises made, promises kept pic.twitter.com/S38Bf8VvgX
— Kyle Martinsen (@KyleMartinsen_) August 15, 2021
Top officials in the administration, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken and White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan, have appeared on television to defend the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Secy of State Blinken responds to this clip: pic.twitter.com/6OMCg2k0lq
— Alex Salvi (@alexsalvinews) August 15, 2021
Anyone willing to offer Over/Under on how many times Biden says the word “Trump” or “inherited”…
President Trump offered some helpful advice for reporters to ask “what will Joe Biden surrender next?”
“First Joe Biden surrendered to COVID and it has come roaring back,” Trump said.
“Then he surrendered to the Taliban, who has quickly overtaken Afghanistan and destroyed confidence in American power and influence.”
“The outcome in Afghanistan, including the withdrawal, would have been totally different if the Trump Administration had been in charge. Who or what will Joe Biden surrender to next? Someone should ask him, if they can find him.”
Biden will speak at 3:45 p.m. ET from the East Room of the White House, where less than a week ago he said he did not regret his decision to withdraw U.S. troops from the country.
As an avalanche of awkward questions is expected, we note that The White House is requiring press to RSVP for Biden’s Afghanistan remarks “due to spacing constraints and COVID-19 restrictions.”
This means the majority of press who show up for the briefing each day in the much smaller briefing room will not be allowed in the larger East Room… conveniently.
On a side note, this could be one of President Biden’s most-watched live-streams – buckle-up!
