Trump's Afghanistan Withdrawal Blunders Slammed by Former National Security Adviser

General H.R. McMaster, former national security adviser to President Trump, has criticized his ex-boss for the botched U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, citing Trump's ill-conceived negotiations with the Taliban and subsequent abandonment of a sound long-term strategy.

Former President Trump's handling of the U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan has come under fire from his former national security adviser, retired Lieutenant General H.R. McMaster. McMaster, now author of "At War with Ourselves," asserts that Trump's decision to negotiate with Taliban leaders while planning a withdrawal set the stage for the chaotic and disastrous U.S. pullout under the subsequent Biden administration.

Trump's Afghanistan Withdrawal Blunders Slammed by Former National Security Adviser

In an interview with CNN, McMaster slammed Trump for negotiating with a terrorist organization and abandoning a sustainable strategy for Afghanistan. He argued that such actions undermined the Afghan government and left them vulnerable.

"Why the heck were we even doing that?" McMaster questioned. "The whole premise of talking to the Taliban before you leave Afghanistan... we kind of threw the Afghans under the bus on the way out."

Trump's Afghanistan Withdrawal Blunders Slammed by Former National Security Adviser

McMaster further criticized Trump for releasing Taliban prisoners and halting the active targeting of the organization, actions that he believes exacerbated the situation.

The former national security adviser also addressed the criticism President Biden has faced for the withdrawal, arguing that while Biden's choices were constrained by the conditions Trump created, his administration also made mistakes, particularly in denying the potential consequences of the pullout.

Trump's Afghanistan Withdrawal Blunders Slammed by Former National Security Adviser

"The [Biden] administration told themselves lies about this bold line between the Taliban and other terrorist organizations," McMaster said.

McMaster's criticism of Trump's Afghanistan withdrawal echoes a recent National Security Council review, which concluded that Biden's options were limited by his predecessor's actions. However, McMaster believes that Trump bears significant responsibility for the chaotic and deadly pullout.

Trump's Afghanistan Withdrawal Blunders Slammed by Former National Security Adviser

"Absolutely, and I advised him to do quite the opposite of that in the run-up to what was his decision in August of 2017," McMaster said, referring to Trump's decision to negotiate with the Taliban. "I tell that story in detail in the book about how really, Trump made a tough decision and made, I think, what was the best available decision, and put into place in 2017 the first sustainable, reasoned approach to Afghanistan."

McMaster argued that Trump's decision to abandon that strategy and negotiate with the Taliban was a major blunder that ultimately led to the disastrous withdrawal under Biden.