Trump: Why I will Demand Resignations
Donald Trump is shaping his foreign policy around the chaotic withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan, an event he views as a pivotal moment in American history. In an exclusive interview with DailyMail.com, Trump shared his perspective on the withdrawal, during which 13 American service members lost their lives, and the world watched in disbelief as desperate Afghans clung to departing planes.
According to Trump, this tragic episode significantly damaged the United States’ global reputation. He emphasized the importance of this event in a recent national security speech in Asheboro, North Carolina, where he vowed to hold those responsible for the withdrawal accountable and promised decisive action moving forward.
On stage, Trump declared, “I will demand the resignations of every senior military official involved in the Afghanistan disaster. I want their resignations immediately.” As Democrats convened in Chicago for their convention, Trump embarked on a policy tour across key battleground states.
Monday’s focus was on the economy in Pennsylvania, while Tuesday centered on law and order in Michigan. By Wednesday, he teamed up with his running mate, J.D. Vance, to outline their national security objectives.
After his speech, Trump delved into the details with DailyMail.com, expressing that it was inexcusable for officials and officers involved to evade accountability. He directed his anger particularly at Gen. Mark Milley, the former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Gen. Frank McKenzie, who oversaw the region as the commander of U.S. Central Command.
Both generals have since retired. Trump described the August 2021 withdrawal and the Taliban’s takeover as a moment of deep humiliation for the United States, marking the start of a new era of global instability.
‘We were respected,’ he said in a hangar at the North Carolina Aviation Museum. ‘We were going to get out with dignity and pride. ‘And these people took the soldiers out first, so everybody’s left back there. ‘It was total bedlam. It was a terrible thing. ‘When Putin saw that, he said: ‘This is a good time to go into Ukraine. That would have never happened with me.’
During a recent discussion, Trump addressed a wide range of topics, from his personal relationship with Queen Elizabeth II to his thoughts on the Democratic National Convention, and even the experience of speaking behind bulletproof glass.
However, it was the situation in Afghanistan and America’s global reputation that seemed to energize him the most. He emphasized that it was his administration that set the stage for President Joe Biden’s decision to withdraw U.S. forces.
In February 2020, Trump and his team brokered a deal with the Taliban to end the two-decade-long conflict. The agreement called for the rapid closure of U.S. airbases and a significant reduction in troop levels, with a complete withdrawal of NATO forces planned for May 2021.
In exchange, the Taliban agreed to stop targeting U.S. forces and to prevent terrorist groups from operating from Afghan territory. When Biden assumed office, he pledged to pull out the remaining 2,500 U.S. troops by the highly symbolic date of September 11.
This led to a chaotic surge by Taliban fighters, who intensified their attacks on the Afghan government, which could no longer depend on the overwhelming American airpower and special forces for support.
By August 14, 2021, the Taliban had taken control of Kabul, the Afghan capital, even before American troops had fully withdrawn. Foreign civilians, who had been hopeful that the Kabul government would stand firm, suddenly found themselves in urgent need of evacuation.
Trump criticized the generals responsible for the chaotic situation that followed, particularly the disastrous attack on Kabul’s international airport which resulted in the deaths of 13 Americans and numerous Afghans. He expressed strong disapproval, saying, “They did a terrible job. They were lousy generals.”
Trump also targeted General Milley, who served as the top military adviser to both him and President Biden, calling him a “television general” and accusing him of incompetence. Trump further claimed Milley was “a very radical left liberal guy,” suggesting that he would have been more suited to advising someone like Kamala Harris, who he implied shares Milley’s leftist views.
He claimed that the decision to abandon Bagram air base, which had been the main hub for American forces, was a critical mistake early in the withdrawal process. Instead, the focus shifted to Hamid Karzai International Airport, located near the heart of Kabul.
This decision has sparked debate. Some military experts argue that keeping Bagram would have required deploying thousands of additional troops to secure both the base and its access routes. “I would never have given up Bagram,” Trump said. “It’s just an hour away from where China develops its nuclear weapons.
We should have maintained a massive air base there. We invested billions over the years to build one of the most robust and expansive runways in the world, capable of handling huge cargo loads, and it was all situated just an hour from China.”
Currently, the area is under Taliban control, but China remains one of the few countries to officially recognize the Taliban regime. This has led to ongoing concerns that China might be seeking access to Bagram or may already be utilizing it.
The withdrawal reached a devastating peak on August 26 when an ISIS-K suicide bomber detonated an explosive at the airport. The attack resulted in hundreds of casualties, including 13 American service members, and left many others injured as shrapnel ripped through the crowd of people trying to flee.
Former President Trump described the tragedy, saying, “We lost 13 great soldiers, and 45 were absolutely obliterated—legs, arms, faces—devastating injuries. This should have never happened. The biggest mistake was failing to adequately prepare for the aftermath of the withdrawal.”
“It’s just incompetent,” he said. “But more than that, they pulled the military out first. Even a child knows you don’t do that.” His remarks reveal the underlying foreign policy themes that shape his thinking and those of his supporters. There’s the America First stance, which aims to reduce U.S. commitments abroad to focus on domestic issues.
However, this is complicated by Trump’s ‘peace through strength’ approach, reminiscent of Reagan’s vision of strong U.S. leadership on the global stage. As Trump’s speech highlighted, this is now a major campaign issue. The withdrawal from Afghanistan has cast a long shadow over Biden’s presidency, with pollsters noting it as a turning point when his approval ratings began to decline.
For Trump, it’s another opportunity to target Kamala Harris. “This disaster falls squarely on comrade Kamala Harris,” he told the enthusiastic rally crowd. “She was the last person in the room with Biden when they decided to pull out of Afghanistan.”