WASHINGTON — Secretary of State Antony Blinken will testify before the House Foreign Affairs Committee on Wednesday, December 11, as lawmakers assess the State Department’s handling of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Chairman Michael McCaul, who has been a prominent critic of the withdrawal, announced the hearing as part of ongoing congressional oversight efforts, according to a statement by McCaul’s office.
The session will focus on the decisions and operations that shaped the withdrawal, its consequences, and its broader implications for U.S. foreign policy and national security.
The hearing, titled “An Assessment of the State Department’s Withdrawal from Afghanistan by America’s Top Diplomat,” will take place in Room 2172 of the Rayburn House Office Building at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time.
The U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021 marked the end of a two-decade military engagement, culminating in a rapid Taliban takeover and a chaotic evacuation process.
The operation faced significant challenges, including a devastating suicide attack at Kabul’s Hamid Karzai International Airport that resulted in the deaths of 13 U.S. service members and numerous Afghan civilians.
The withdrawal has been a focal point of political debate, with critiques of the evacuation’s execution and its implications for U.S. foreign policy.
In September 2024, a House Republican report criticized the Biden administration’s handling of the withdrawal, citing delayed evacuation orders and poor interdepartmental communication.
The upcoming testimony of Secretary Blinken before the House Foreign Affairs Committee is expected to address these concerns and provide insights into the decision-making processes during the withdrawal.
