President Biden on Thursday clashed with Fox News reporter Peter Doocy about former President Trump’s deal with Taliban during a press conference on the attack in Kabul that killed 12 U.S. service members.
The exchange started with Biden saying he wanted to take a question “from the most interesting guy that I know in the press.”
Doocy then asked the president if he “bears responsibility” for what has happened in Afghanistan since the troop drawdown began.
“I bear responsibility for fundamentally all that’s happened,” Biden responded, before shifting the conversation to Trump’s deal with the Taliban.
Doocy noted that no service members had been killed in combat in Afghanistan since 2020, prompting Biden to respond by saying that only happened because of the agreement made between Trump and the Taliban.
“The former president made a deal with the Taliban that he would get all American forces out of Afghanistan by May 1. In return, the commitment was made, and that was a year before, in return, he was given a commitment that the Taliban would continue to attack others but would not attack any forces. Remember that?” Biden asked Doocy.
Doocy attempted to respond before Biden interjected to say, “I’m asking you a question. Is that accurate, to the best of your knowledge?”
The two spoke over each other, with Biden putting his head on his microphone in frustration before Doocy asked a follow-up question.
“Do you think people have an issue with pulling out of Afghanistan or just the way that things have happened?” Doocy asked.
Biden said he thought individuals have an issue with how “messy” the withdrawal was, before going back to discussing Trump.
Biden reiterated that he believes the only reason no American service member had been killed since early last year was due to Trump’s deal with the Taliban.