Blinken Faces Subpoena from House Committee over Afghanistan Withdrawal

On Tuesday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken was subpoenaed by house lawmakers due to allegations that he refused to testify about the Biden administration's 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan, which resulted in fatalities.

The House Foreign Affairs Committee has given Blinken until September 19 to appear before the committee or face contempt charges, as stated in a letter signed by Republican Chairman Michael McCaul of Texas.

The Committee has issued another subpoena instead of continuing to engage with the Department in good faith, according to State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller.

Planet Chronicle Digital has reached out to the State Department.

McCaul requested Blinken to appear at a hearing in September regarding the committee's report on the Afghanistan withdrawal investigation. However, the State Department repeatedly failed to provide a date for Blinken to testify before lawmakers, according to McCaul.

McCaul stated in his letter that Blinken was the ultimate decision-maker on the withdrawal and evacuation, as confirmed by both current and former State Department officials.

The reason for this hearing is that the Department of State played a crucial role in the Afghanistan withdrawal and was the lead agency during the August non-combatant evacuation operation, as stated in the letter.

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McCaul stated that he is in a position to inform the Committee about potential legislation aimed at preventing catastrophic mistakes from the withdrawal, including potential reforms to the Department's legislative authorization.

For years, the committee has been probing the deadly chaotic withdrawal that resulted in the deaths of 13 U.S. military service members.

Last month, former President Donald Trump visited Arlington National Cemetery and participated in a wreath-laying ceremony to honor the 13 military members. Trump and Republicans have consistently criticized President Biden regarding the withdrawal from Afghanistan, which resulted in the Taliban regaining control of the country after 20 years of U.S. occupation.

Trump accused Biden and Kamala of being responsible for the loss of a child, saying it was as though they had a gun in the parents' heads due to the poor handling of the situation, according to the New York Post.