President Donald Trump on Wednesday acknowledged that the United States bears a responsibility to protect Afghan allies who served alongside American forces during the two decades of war, but stopped short of offering firm assurances about their future in the country.
Speaking at a news conference, Trump said the United States “knows who the good ones are” among the tens of thousands of Afghans evacuated after the 2021 withdrawal, suggesting that others might face removal. “Some came over that aren’t so good, and we’re going to take care of those people,” he said.
Pressed by a reporter on whether he would guarantee protection for Afghan interpreters, journalists and civil servants who risked their lives during the war, Trump replied, “We’ll take care of 90 percent of your question,” without elaborating.
“We know the good ones, and we know the ones that maybe aren’t so good. You know, some came over that aren’t so good, and we’re going to take care of those people. The ones that did a job, the ones that were told certain things. A shame what happened. One of the most disgraceful episodes in the history of our country. The way we left Afghanistan was just a disgrace. But I understand your question fully, and we’ll take care of 90% of your question. Okay, I know what you mean,” Trump said.
His comments come as advocates warn that Afghan evacuees remain in legal limbo after his administration ended the admission of new Afghan refugees and began reviewing the status of those brought in under temporary protections. Veterans’ groups and refugee organizations have called on Washington to grant permanent residency, arguing that failure to do so would put lives at risk and damage America’s credibility abroad.
