The Biden administration reportedly gave the Taliban a list of the names of United States citizens, green card holders, and other Afghan allies that needed to be allowed into the airport so they could be evacuated — a decision that sparked widespread outrage from officials and critics.
“The move, detailed to POLITICO by three U.S. and congressional officials, was designed to expedite the evacuation of tens of thousands of people from Afghanistan as chaos erupted in Afghanistan’s capital city last week after the Taliban seized control of the country,” Politico reported. “But the decision to provide specific names to the Taliban, which has a history of brutally murdering Afghans who collaborated with the U.S. and other coalition forces during the conflict, has angered lawmakers and military officials.”
A Pentagon official told Politico that the Biden administration effectively “put all those Afghans on a kill list.”
“It’s just appalling and shocking and makes you feel unclean,” the official added.
On Thursday, Biden said “there have been occasions” in which the United States provided names of people who needed to be let through a checkpoint. However, he said he was unaware of any lists.
National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan denied the allegations in the Politico report on Sunday.
“There is no such ‘kill list.’ It is nonsense. It is irresponsible and unfounded reporting,” said Sullivan.
Online, journalists, critics, and politicians expressed fury over the decision.
What a betrayal of our allies https://t.co/C6GzDUQqQ7
— Alana Goodman (@alanagoodman) August 26, 2021
And now we learn that the Biden Admin gave a terrorist organization a list of U.S. citizens remaining in country.
Let that sink in for a minute. Insane. https://t.co/SZjWsBVUSp
— Rep. Dan Bishop (@RepDanBishop) August 26, 2021
This is incomprehensible… meanwhile, I have constituents, their family and other visa holders who have tried but have NOT been able to get into the airport. I guess handing over that list to the bad guys didn’t work so well… https://t.co/g9llKHgefq
— Rep. Bill Huizenga (@RepHuizenga) August 26, 2021
The Taliban are the gatekeepers to U.S. admission. Think about that. https://t.co/pfxZA55QII
— Stephen Miller (@StephenM) August 26, 2021
Exchange from July 8, 2021:
Q Do you trust the Taliban, Mr. President? Do you trust the Taliban, sir?
THE PRESIDENT: Is that a serious question?
Q It is absolutely a serious question. Do you trust the Taliban?
THE PRESIDENT: No, I do not. https://t.co/9Mo2xeRmf8
— Matt Viser (@mviser) August 26, 2021
The Biden Administration gave the Taliban a list of Americans stranded in Afghanistan.
The Taliban! https://t.co/SULf6jXmj6
— House Judiciary GOP (@JudiciaryGOP) August 26, 2021
Why is the Chairman of the Intel Committee so silent? @RepAdamSchiff is all politics. https://t.co/KH9QJAuYpZ
— Richard Grenell (@RichardGrenell) August 26, 2021
Stunning. The Taliban remain our enemy. Some of their leaders are US-designated terrorists. They share leadership with al Qaeda. AQ operatives swear loyalty oaths to Taliban leaders. They have attacked US troops, interests and allies for two decades. https://t.co/MM3LR7FPpv
— Stephen Hayes (@stephenfhayes) August 26, 2021
My God, Biden gave the Taliban a kill list! https://t.co/fiHa793Kfs
— Marc Thiessen (@marcthiessen) August 26, 2021
What could go wrong? Perhaps we can also outsource the IT at the White House and the Pentagon to the Chinese Communist Party. https://t.co/2AWCEW205x
— Sam Harris (@SamHarrisOrg) August 26, 2021
The Taliban is going door-to-door and searching for our Afghan allies.
The Biden administration gave them a list of names.
Infuriating! https://t.co/nPiGoW0RgW
— Rep. Vicky Hartzler (@RepHartzler) August 26, 2021
Brought to you by the same NatSec team that gave Nuri al Maliki and excel sheet of all the Sunni Arab sons of Iraq fighters who fought alongside US marines & troops against the Islamic State of Iraq.
That too ended well https://t.co/fBX1DnXfj9
— Oubai Shahbandar (@OS26) August 26, 2021
This is deeply concerning and reckless behavior, putting American citizens and our allies at risk.
Congress needs to investigate this immediately. https://t.co/OHfqAiJa56
— Rep. Ken Buck (@RepKenBuck) August 26, 2021
This is deeply concerning and reckless behavior, putting American citizens and our allies at risk.
Congress needs to investigate this immediately. https://t.co/OHfqAiJa56
— Rep. Ken Buck (@RepKenBuck) August 26, 2021
This article has been updated to include additional information.