DefSec Lloyd Austin Calls Americans Being Beaten ‘Unacceptable’ as Biden Tells the Media He’s Unaware of Americans Being Attacked
Despite assurances from the Biden administration that Americans fleeing Afghanistan would be able to reach the airport without being hassled, some of them are being beaten by the Taliban, according to a report by ABC News’ Ian Pannell.
President Joe Biden said during a speech on Friday he had seen “no indication” that Americans had been unable to get to the airport.
Right after his speech concluded, ABC News anchor David Muir asked Pannell, “Does that square with reporting on the ground?”
“I mean, just totally not,” said the reporter. “Last night on World News we had American citizens who had exactly that experience. They tried to get to the airport. They had waved their American passports. The president talked about [how] all they had to do was present their passports and they’d be allowed through. They were beaten by the Taliban with the rubber fan belt from a vehicle. Multiple examples of Americans and Afghans, [Special Immigrant Visa] applicants who’ve now tried repeatedly.”
Pannell said some people were simply not being allowed through.
He added, “It just seems the reality and the rhetoric are miles apart. I’m not quite sure what advice the president’s receiving.”
During a briefing with members of Congress Friday, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin informed them that some Americans have indeed been beaten by the Taliban in Afghanistan’s capital city of Kabul. Austin called the situation “unacceptable.”
Politico’s Andrew Desiderio, who noted that the development runs counter to some of what the Biden administration said about Americans not having difficulty reaching the airport.
NEW: Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in a briefing call with House lawmakers just now said Americans have been beaten by the Taliban in Kabul, according to multiple people on the call. Austin called it “unacceptable.”
— Andrew Desiderio (@AndrewDesiderio) August 20, 2021
Shortly after Biden finished speaking, Pentagon spokesperson Admiral John Kirby said flatly, “We’ve communicated to the Taliban that that is absolutely unacceptable and we want free passage through these checkpoints for documented Americans.”
Watch above via ABC News.
