Former White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki is set to testify before the House Foreign Affairs Committee later this month, the committee announced on Tuesday. Psaki's transcribed interview will focus on the Biden administration's controversial withdrawal from Afghanistan, which was initiated by the Trump administration the previous year. The operation culminated in chaos at Kabul airport, where a suicide bombing resulted in the deaths of 13 U.S. Marines.
Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, stated that Psaki agreed to testify under threat of a congressional subpoena. "Under threat of a congressional subpoena, Jen Psaki has agreed to testify before the committee," McCaul said. He emphasized that Psaki, who was responsible for communicating the administration's actions to the public, has a duty to explain the discrepancies between the White House's messaging and the actual situation on the ground during the withdrawal.
Psaki's testimony will address why the public narrative from the White House differed significantly from the conditions reported from Kabul and what information she received for her press briefings during the emergency evacuation.
Rep. McCaul intends to release a report on the Afghanistan withdrawal before the November election, as reported by Axios. The committee has already released interview transcriptions from May, revealing that a major military leader cautioned against a complete withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. Retired Gen. Austin Scott Miller stated, "My view was that going to zero things would go very bad very fast," highlighting concerns over a political and security collapse.
This testimony is a significant step in addressing the controversies and criticisms surrounding the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, particularly the tragic events that unfolded during the operation.