Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis demanded answers from President Joe Biden’s administration Monday regarding Floridians still trapped in Afghanistan, according to a letter obtained by the Daily Caller News Foundation.
Directed to Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin, Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas and Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, the governor’s letter comes a day ahead of the planned Aug. 31 Afghanistan withdrawal deadline, though many more people need to be evacuated as the last U.S. flight left Kabul, effectively marking the end of the 20-year war.
“As President Biden’s self-imposed August 31, 2021 evacuation deadline approaches and the situation rapidly deteriorates, the continued lack of information sharing is unacceptable,” DeSantis wrote. (RELATED: Biden Keeping Aug. 31 Afghanistan Withdrawal Date Despite Worry Surrounding Evacuations)
“The crisis in Afghanistan is of President Biden’s own making, yet the consequences extend beyond the borders of Afghanistan and into the United States,” DeSantis wrote. “Governors need transparency on accelerated evacuation efforts.”
WASHINGTON, DC – DECEMBER 13: Florida Governor-elect Ron DeSantis (R) sits next to U.S. President Donald Trump during a meeting with Governors elects in the Cabinet Room at the White House on December 13, 2018 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images)
The governor not only requested information on how many Floridians remain in Afghanistan but also on what the administration is doing to ensure the safe evacuation of all American citizens and all eligible Afghan partners. (RELATED: Last US Flight Leaves Kabul, Marking End Of 20-Year War)
He also asked the Biden administration how many Afghans are being evacuated to the U.S. and where they are going, what the vetting process for the Afghans is, how many evacuees have been flagged for possible ties to terrorism and what will happen to American citizens and Afghan allies who are “left in harm’s way on September 1, 2021.”
“The current situation on the ground in Afghanistan was avoidable and predictable,” he wrote. “It will impact the safety of Americans and military partnerships for decades to come.”
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.