World

Biden Says Taliban ‘Going Through Sort Of An Existential Crisis,’ Credits Them For Giving Americans ‘Safe Passage’

Screenshot ABC News, Good Morning America

Shelby Talcott Senior White House Correspondent
Font Size:

President Joe Biden said the Taliban is “going through sort of an existential crisis” and credited the group for giving Americans “safe passage” to get out of Afghanistan, during an interview that aired Thursday.

Biden sat down with ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos in what marked his first time answering questions from the press since the Taliban overtook Afghanistan. Stephanopoulos asked the president whether he believes the Taliban has changed, prompting Biden to declare “no” before clarifying his answer.

“Let me put it this way,” the president said. “I think they’re going through sort of an existential crisis about do they want to be recognized by the international community as being a legitimate government. I’m not sure they do.” (RELATED: ‘Where Would I Go?’: Afghanistan’s First Female Mayor Says She’s Waiting For Taliban To Come And Kill Her)

Stephanopoulos interjected, openly wondering if the Taliban cares about “their beliefs more,” to which Biden agreed and went on to give them props for providing “safe passage for Americans to get out.”

“But they also care about whether they have food to eat, whether they have an income that they can provide for their –  that they can make any money and run an economy,” Biden said. “They care about whether or not they can hold together the society that they in fact say they care so much about.”

“I’m not counting on any of that. I’m not – but that is part of what I think is going on right now in terms of I – I’m not sure I would’ve predicted, George, nor would you or anyone else, that when we decided to leave that they’d provide safe passage for Americans to get out,” he continued.

WATCH:

Biden was also confronted on the issue of Afghan women, some of whom are hiding and fear a possible massacre. The president said America should be trying to get “as many” Afghans – including the women – out of the country.

“There are Afghan women outside the gate. I told ’em, ‘Get ’em on the planes. Get them out. Get them out. Get their families out if you can,'” the president said, recalling an hours-long meeting in the Situation Room earlier in the day.

“But here’s the deal, George. The idea that we’re able to deal with the rights of women around the world by military force is not rational,” Biden added. “Not rational. Look what’s happened to the Uyghurs in western China. Look what’s happening in other parts of the world.”

The president noted “there are a lotta places [in the world] where women are being subjugated” and asserted that a military invasion isn’t the way to solve those issues.

“The way to deal with that is putting economic, diplomatic and national – international pressure on them to change their behavior,” Biden said.