Republican Oklahoma Rep. Markwayne Mullin accused the Biden administration of intentionally revealing his location in Afghanistan when he attempted to rescue an American family trapped in the country as it fell to the Taliban.
Mullin, a former mixed martial arts fighter who is currently running to replace retiring Sen. Jim Inhofe, traveled to Afghanistan in late August without the backing of the U.S. government in an effort to save four Americans who could not exit the country. He reportedly threatened American embassy officials in Tajikistan when they would not allow him to transport a large amount of hard currency into Afghanistan, and was temporarily considered missing.
Biden administration officials described the mission as “extremely dangerous,” although Mullin was ultimately successful. He later accused the State Department of failing to order the gates of Hamid Karzai International Airport open for the Americans, calling claims that the administration was helpful in the evacuation “a lie.” (RELATED: ‘Absolutely A Lie’: GOP Rep. Says State Department Tried To Sabotage Afghanistan Rescue, Then Took Credit When It Worked)
In which Rep. Mullin, now running for Senate in Oklahoma, accuses the White House of trying to have him killed while he was trying to get into Afghanistan during the evacuation last year.
Via @Olivia_Beavers https://t.co/oVFotps24I
— Andrew Desiderio (@AndrewDesiderio) March 22, 2022
Now, Mullin is going further, alleging that the Biden administration deliberately revealed his movements in a manner that put his life in danger. His travels in the region were first reported in a Sept. 1, 2021, Washington Post article. The article reported that Mullin traveled through Greece, Georgia, and Tajikistan, which shares a more than 800 mile border with Afghanistan.
“Without question, they tried to kill me,” he told Politico, speculating that the White House released the information about his location to prevent him from showing that Americans were left behind. A spokeswoman for Mullin clarified that the congressman referenced the fact that the White House made public Mullin’s travels in the region, as well as specific cities.
“All we were trying to do is just help get Americans out because we had the ability to do it. Why is that a bad thing?” he added.
The Department of Defense and Department of State both denied Mullin’s allegations to Politico. Neither Department immediately responded to the Daily Caller’s requests for comment on the matter.
Mullin was one of three members of Congress to travel to Afghanistan shortly after the country fell to the Taliban. Democratic Massachusetts Rep. Seth Moulton and Republican Michigan Rep. Peter Meijer, both Afghanistan War veterans, secretly traveled to Kabul to observe the withdrawal of American citizens and Afghan Special Immigration Visa holders. Their trip was also criticized by congressional leadership and the Biden administration.