House Foreign Affairs chairman calls Blinken to testify on Afghanistan exit

US House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul has issued a subpoena to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, demanding his testimony on America’s withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. The subpoena, issued on Tuesday, requires Blinken to appear before the committee on Sept. 19 or face contempt charges.

McCaul stated in a letter to Blinken, “As Secretary of State throughout the withdrawal and NEO, you were entrusted to lead these efforts and to secure the safe evacuation of Americans and Afghan allies. You are therefore in a position to inform the Committee’s consideration of potential legislation aimed at preventing the catastrophic mistakes of the withdrawal.”

State Department spokesman Matthew Miller noted that Blinken has testified before Congress on Afghanistan over 14 times and is unavailable on the suggested dates. The State Department released a report blaming both the Trump and Biden administrations for the chaotic withdrawal in August 2021.

McCaul’s subpoena follows a standoff over document access, with Republicans criticizing the withdrawal as mishandled. The report found insufficient consideration of worst-case scenarios during both administrations, leading to the chaotic events in Afghanistan.