WASHINGTON — Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken is set to testify on Wednesday before the Republican-led House Foreign Affairs Committee about the August 2021 U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, ending months of tension between the State Department and the panel.
The appearance comes as Mr. Blinken nears the end of his tenure, with President-elect Donald J. Trump preparing to take office on Jan. 20. The chaotic withdrawal, which marked the end of America’s 20-year involvement in Afghanistan, has remained a flashpoint in U.S. politics, particularly during the contentious 2024 presidential campaign.
The committee, chaired by Representative Michael McCaul of Texas, had clashed with the State Department over Mr. Blinken’s testimony for months. In September, Republicans on the panel voted to recommend holding Mr. Blinken in contempt of Congress for failing to comply with a subpoena demanding additional information about the withdrawal.
The Afghanistan withdrawal became a major issue during the 2024 presidential race between Mr. Trump and Vice President Kamala D. Harris. Mr. Trump, who brokered a 2020 agreement with the Taliban to begin the withdrawal process, has harshly criticized the execution of the evacuation under President Biden.
During his campaign, Mr. Trump vowed to hold those responsible for the withdrawal accountable, pledging to demand the resignation of senior officials involved in what he has called the “Afghanistan calamity.”
Democrats, meanwhile, have argued that the Trump administration bears significant responsibility for the chaotic conclusion to the war, noting that Mr. Trump’s deal with the Taliban set the stage for the withdrawal.
State Department defense
The State Department has maintained that it provided extensive cooperation with Congress, including more than 20,000 pages of records, 14 instances of testimony by Mr. Blinken, and multiple briefings and interviews.
In a statement, Mr. McCaul criticized the timing of Mr. Blinken’s testimony, saying, “While I wish he had not delayed this crucial appearance until the end of his tenure as head of the State Department, I look forward to hearing his testimony and asking poignant questions to help House Republicans and the next administration ensure nothing like this ever happens again.”
In September, Mr. McCaul’s committee released a report from its Republican-led investigation into the withdrawal, faulting the Biden administration for failures during the evacuation.
