Trump orders probe into US withdrawal from Afghanistan during Biden’s term
US soldiers get ready to depart in Kabul, Afghanistan. (AA Photo)
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team is reviewing former and current senior US military officers involved in the 2021 Afghanistan withdrawal to determine whether they could face court martial.
Trump’s team is considering forming a commission to investigate the withdrawal, NBC News reported on Sunday.
The investigation would focus on identifying those directly involved in the decision-making process, examining how the withdrawal was carried out, and assessing whether military leaders could face charges, including treason, according to a U.S. official and a source familiar with the plans.
“They’re taking it very seriously,” a person with knowledge of the effort told NBC News, adding that Matt Flynn, former deputy assistant secretary of defense for counternarcotics and global threats, is helping to lead the initiative.
The U.S. presence in Afghanistan, which began in October 2001, ended after 20 years with the withdrawal of American troops in 2021.
Republican lawmakers have criticized the Biden administration for the “failed” withdrawal and the chaos at Kabul’s airport.
