Jen Psaki Agrees to Transcribed Interview for House Committee on Afghanistan Withdrawal — On One Condition
Screenshot via Pod Save America YouTube
Jen Psaki has agreed to sit for a transcribed interview with a House committee probing the military withdrawal from Afghanistan — on one condition.
House Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Michael McCaul (R-TX) sent a letter to Psaki on Monday agreeing to a July 26 date for a transcribed interview at 10 a.m. Psaki was White House press secretary during the Afghanistan withdrawal in 2021, and she now hosts a show for MSNBC. Multiple service members were killed and billions of dollars in military equipment was left behind during the controversial withdrawal.
While Psaki has agreed to the interview after requests dating back to September, it is dependent upon approval from the White House, according to McCaul’s letter. McCaul said if it comes to it, he’ll “compel” Psaki to sit the interview.
“I understand you have conditioned your appearance on approval by the White House. As my staff informed your counsel, it is incumbent on a witness appearing before the Committee to make any third-party arrangements. The Committee is nevertheless available to attend meetings and be included in correspondence between you and the White House to represent the Committee’s equities,” he wrote. “While I hope to proceed with your voluntary appearance, I expect you to have resolved the conditionality of your appearance by June 26, 2024. If not, I must treat your June 12 response as a refusal to appear and you will be compelled to sit for a deposition.”
Last month, McCaul accused Psaki of using “legal arguments” to “dodge” the committee. He also blasted her for “profiting” off of tragedy with her memoir Say More, in which she writes about the Afghanistan withdrawal.
“It is troubling that Ms. Psaki seeks to profit off the Afghanistan tragedy, and has felt comfortable writing accounts and making them available to the general public, but refuses to make herself available to Congress,” he wrote.
