Tipsheet

White House Describes Taliban as 'Professional and Businesslike'

Leah Barkoukis
Leah Barkoukis  |  September 10, 2021 9:00 AM

The White House is facing heat for describing the Taliban as “businesslike and professional” on the same day President Biden blasted unvaccinated Americans, saying he’s “losing patience” with them. 

Fox News’s Peter Doocy confronted White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki about a White House statement describing the Taliban in such glowing terms after the first commercial flights were allowed to leave Kabul. Meanwhile, their new interim government includes an FBI-wanted terrorist as its interior minister. 

“Can you explain a little bit more about why the White House, in a statement, is calling the Taliban businesslike and professional?” Doocy asked. 

“We promised we would get American citizens out, we promised we would get legal permanent residents out, we promised to get our Afghan partners out and we promised to press the Taliban to get them out and that’s exactly what we did,” she replied.

“But you’re saying the Taliban is businesslike and professional. Their Interior Minister has an FBI wanted poster. He’s got a $10 million bounty on his head, that’s — what’s the business?” Doocy pressed.

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“We are here to celebrate the return of American citizens who wanted to leave Afghanistan, of legal permanent residents, of Afghans who fought by our side to Qatar,” Psaki said, noting that U.S. officials had to coordinate with the Taliban to get them out.