PITUFFIK SPACE BASE, Greenland — U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance on Friday sharply criticized the Taliban, labeling them “one of the worst terrorist organizations in the world,” and accused the Biden administration of handing over billions of dollars in military equipment during the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Speaking during a visit to U.S. Space Force operations in Greenland, Vance referred to the 2021 withdrawal as a “catastrophic error” that resulted in the deaths of 13 American service members and the loss of an estimated $80 billion in U.S. military assets.
“I remember about four years ago when American military leadership made a catastrophic error that got 13 innocent Americans killed in Afghanistan and turned over about $80 billion in military equipment to one of the worst terrorist organizations in the world,” Vance said. He also accused American media outlets of having “run cover” for the Biden administration during the withdrawal.
This marks the first time a senior official in the Trump administration has explicitly referred to the Taliban as a terrorist group since returning to office in January.
President Trump has frequently criticized the withdrawal and emphasized the importance of reclaiming U.S. military assets left behind in Afghanistan. The topic has reemerged following last week’s unexpected visit by a U.S. delegation to Kabul, the first under Taliban rule.
The visit coincided with the release of George Glezmann, an American national previously detained by the Taliban. Shortly after his release, the U.S. quietly removed a $10 million bounty on Sirajuddin Haqqani, the Taliban’s powerful interior minister and longtime insurgent commander.
Despite these developments, the Trump administration has not publicly outlined a policy toward the Taliban or Afghanistan. However, analysts believe the rhetoric signals growing frustration within the White House over the legacy of the U.S. withdrawal.
“The issue of reclaiming U.S. weapons or retaking Bagram — these are symbolic statements,” said Mohammad Umer Daudzai, Afghanistan’s former interior minister. “It shows that Mr. Trump is dissatisfied with how things were handled. He likely wants to reshape the U.S.-Afghanistan relationship, but has not yet begun the policy process.”
Taliban officials, for their part, have expressed cautious optimism about improving relations with Washington, despite the lack of clarity from the Trump administration.
