Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Joint Chiefs Chairman General Mark Milley and U.S. Central Command General Kenneth McKenzie are on Capitol Hill Tuesday for testimony in front of the Senate Armed Services Committee about the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan.
During an interview with ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos in August, as the chaotic withdrawal from the country was underway, President Joe Biden claimed he was never given advice to keep a small, residual force of U.S. troops in the country.
“No one said that to me that I can recall," Biden said. "No they didn't."
But testimony Tuesday, despite best efforts by Milley, McKenzie and Austin not to contradict Biden, proves otherwise.
Gen. McKenzie confirms he'd recommended @POTUS keep 2,500 troops in Afghanistan. Also says he advised that pulling US troops would lead to collapse of Afghan forces and gov. @JimInhofe asks, and McKenzie confirms Biden got it.
— Joe Gould (@reporterjoe) September 28, 2021
But Biden said otherwise. https://t.co/pD7vtBV0sm pic.twitter.com/uKZvZ8T4z1
Last month, Joe Biden claimed that no military leader advised him to leave a small troop presence in Afghanistan.
— Tom Cotton (@SenTomCotton) September 28, 2021
Today, General Milley and General McKenzie both confirmed their recommendation that 2,500 U.S. troops remain in Afghanistan.
Which is it? pic.twitter.com/3Tnw1a6V4q
"You do not have to cover for the President when he's not telling the truth. Was that a false statement or not?"
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) September 28, 2021
Senator Dan Sullivan grills Generals Milley and McKenzie who refuse to explicitly contradict Joe Biden. pic.twitter.com/7sRARe5eo0
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