State Department Spox Denies Giving Names of Americans or Afghan Allies to Taliban: ‘Simply False’

State Department spokesman Ned Price on Friday denied providing the names of Americans or the United States’ Afghan allies to the Taliban, saying assertions to that effect were “simply false.”

“The notion that we’re providing … names upon names of individuals who may have stayed behind in Afghanistan, or in a way that would expose anyone to additional risk, that is simply, simply false,” Price said in an afternoon briefing with reporters.

President Joe Biden said Thursday “there may have been” a list of names given to the Taliban by U.S. officials seeking assistance with vetting evacuees from the country. The president’s statement came after unnamed defense officials described the move to numerous media outlets, inciting uproar among critics who said it amounted to a “kill list.”

Major Gen. Hank Taylor issued a less direct answer when he was questioned about it by Fox News’ Jennifer Griffin earlier on Thursday. “I don’t think there is sharing information — as you would say in that question — like we are giving information,” Taylor told Griffin. “What information is very important right now is at the ground level to ensure that as people approach checkpoints, that those Taliban checkpoint leaders have and understand who is coming — what documentation they are supposed to have.”

Watch above via Fox News.