Former President Trump said President Biden’s decision to withdraw US troops from Afghanistan is “a wonderful and positive thing,” but criticized the timeline, saying the US “should leave sooner.”
Why it matters: The statement again puts Trump at odds with top Republicans who have widely condemned the move, with Senate Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) Calling it a ‘grave error’ and Senator Lindsey Graham (RS.C.) calling the withdrawal a “. disaster in the making “.
The big picture: Biden announced that US forces would begin withdrawing from Afghanistan on May 1, with a full withdrawal by September 11, 2021.
Republicans were also outraged when Trump planned to withdraw troops from Afghanistan quickly.
What he says: “September 11 represents a very sad event and period for our country and should remain a day of reflection and remembrance in honor of those great souls we have lost.”
- “Leaving Afghanistan is a wonderful and positive thing. I planned to withdraw on May 1, and we need to stay as close to that schedule as possible,” Trump concluded.