Apr 18, 2021 - Politics & Policy

Trump calls Biden's Afghanistan withdrawal "wonderful" and "positive"

Ivana Saric

Donald Trump in 2018. Photo: Jamie Squire/Getty Images

Former President Trump said President Biden's decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Afghanistan is "a wonderful and positive thing to do," but criticized the timeline and said the U.S. "should get out earlier."

Why it matters: The statement puts Trump once again at odds with top Republicans who have widely condemned the move, with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) calling it a "grave mistake" and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) saying the withdrawal is a "disaster in the making."

The big picture: Biden announced that U.S. troops would begin withdrawing from Afghanistan on May 1, with a complete withdrawal complete by September 11, 2021.

Republicans were likewise furious when Trump had planned to swiftly withdraw troops from Afghanistan.

What he's saying: "September 11th represents a very sad event and period for our Country and should remain a day of reflection and remembrance honoring those great souls we lost."

"Getting out of Afghanistan is a wonderful and positive thing to do. I planned to withdraw on May 1st, and we should keep as close to that schedule as possible," Trump concluded.

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Trump calls Biden's Afghanistan withdrawal "wonderful" and "positive"

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