Rep. Peter Meijer Says Biden Admin Criticism of His Kabul Trip Is ‘Laughable’: They’re Doing ‘Everything They Can to Obstruct’

Congressman Peter Meijer (R- MI), one of the two House members who secretly traveled to Kabul on Tuesday, defended that trip amid criticism from the Biden administration and leaders on the Hill.

Meijer and Congressman Seth Moulton (D- MA), both of whom are Iraq War veterans, went to Afghanistan as evacuations continue at the Kabul airport. After seeing what’s happening on the ground, they concluded that “no matter what we do, we won’t get everyone out on time.”

U.S. officials were reportedly “infuriated” by their trip, with one anonymous senior administration official telling the Washington Post, “It’s as moronic as it is selfish.” Speaker Nancy Pelosi publicly scolded them, and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy said while he understands the reason they went, they should not have gone.

On Wednesday Meijer told Fox News’ Bret Baier both he and Moulton “had to know what was going on the ground in Kabul” and concluded they “realized that we were being lied to.”

He commended the work U.S. forces have been doing as evacuations continue, but described seeing chaotic and “incredibly dangerous” scenes around the Kabul airport.

Baier played the comments from McCarthy and Pelosi, as well as noting the criticism from Pentagon officials.

“Did you complicate things, congressman,” he asked, “by the two of you going in the tense and dynamic situation that the military is trying to deal with other things besides two congressman trying to get a look at things?”

Meijer said their plan was “entirely independent” of the military. As for the criticism, he added this:

The opprobrium from from the Defense Department, from the White House, from the State Department is frankly laughable. Right now they have done everything they can to obstruct the situation, to deny this reality, and, frankly, to hide facts from the American people.

You can watch above, via Fox News.