WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump has renewed his criticism of the 2021 withdrawal of American forces from Afghanistan, accusing the administration of then-President Joe Biden of allowing the Taliban to release thousands of terrorists and violent criminals from Bagram prison.
Trump made the remarks in a statement issued to mark the fifth anniversary of the August 26, 2021 attack on Kabul airport, which killed 13 US service members and more than 160 Afghans.
Today, we honor the 13 brave American HEROES who were tragically killed five years ago by evil Jihadi terrorists in Kabul, Afghanistan. This catastrophe was a result of Sleepy Joe Biden’s totally botched Withdrawal from the Country, which left our wonderful Servicemen and women… pic.twitter.com/wQzxnzwCAg
— Commentary Donald J. Trump Truth Social Posts On X (@TrumpTruthOnX) August 26, 2026
Blaming what he described as the “sheer incompetence” of Biden and the Democratic Party, Trump said the manner in which US forces were withdrawn had left American personnel exposed and created an opportunity for the Taliban to free prisoners held at the Bagram detention facility.
Trump also highlighted his meetings with relatives of the US service members killed in the airport bombing, accusing the Democratic Party of neglecting the victims’ families.
He said his administration, after returning to office, had fulfilled a commitment to bring the alleged mastermind of the attack to justice.
Trump portrayed the Kabul airport bombing and the broader withdrawal as among the most serious failures in recent US history, while pledging that his administration would work to prevent similar incidents in the future.
The bombing took place on August 26, 2021 as thousands of Afghans and foreign nationals gathered at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul in an attempt to leave Afghanistan following the Taliban’s rapid takeover of the country.
The attack was claimed by Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP). Thirteen US service members were killed alongside more than 160 Afghan civilians, making the bombing one of the deadliest incidents of the chaotic evacuation.
Bagram Air Base, located north of Kabul, had served for years as a major hub for US military and intelligence operations in Afghanistan.
American forces vacated the facility in July 2021, weeks before the Taliban entered Kabul and the internationally backed Afghan government collapsed.
After the Taliban seized control of Bagram, prisoners held at the facility were released as the detention system collapsed.
Among those freed were members of various terrorist groups, including the Taliban, al-Qaeda and Islamic State.
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The release of prisoners from Bagram subsequently became a recurring point of criticism from Republicans and other opponents of the Biden administration’s handling of the US withdrawal.
The US military withdrawal formally ended America’s nearly two-decade war in Afghanistan, but the evacuation was marked by scenes of chaos at Kabul airport and intense political scrutiny in Washington.
Supporters of the withdrawal have argued that ending the US military presence was necessary after years of war and that continuing the mission would have imposed substantial human and financial costs.
Critics, however, have maintained that the withdrawal was poorly planned and executed, particularly the security arrangements surrounding the evacuation.
Trump’s latest remarks revive the political debate over the decisions that led to the end of the US military mission and the consequences of the Taliban’s return to power.
