WATCH: Pat Fallon Gets Lloyd Austin To ADMIT America Was Safer Under Trump

Representative Pat Fallon (R-TX) managed to draw a significant admission from Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin about the state of America’s safety under former President Donald Trump’s administration.

During Thursday’s hearing, Fallon not only highlighted the effectiveness of conservative policies but also shed light on the stark differences in outcomes between the Trump and Biden administrations.

Fallon asked, “Prior to Joe Biden becoming president in the prior 18 months, how many Americans did we lose in Afghanistan? How many military service members?” Austin’s response, “Very few. I’d have to go back and check the record,” was quickly clarified by Fallon, who asserted, “I think it’s exactly zero.”

Fallon continued, “And then we lost 13 lives under this administration’s watch. 5,000 prisoners broke out of Bagram. We left billions of dollars worth of equipment. The Afghan army disintegrated within two weeks.”

WATCH:

The Trump administration began reducing U.S. troop levels in Afghanistan. By the end of his presidency, the number of troops was reduced to around 2,500, the lowest level since the beginning of the conflict in 2001. The withdrawal of U.S. forces, as per the Doha Agreement, was conditional on the Taliban meeting specific criteria, including reducing violence and cutting ties with terrorist organizations like Al-Qaeda.

Upon taking office, President Biden faced the deadline set by the Doha Agreement. In April 2021, he announced that the U.S. would withdraw its remaining troops from Afghanistan by September 11, 2021, later revised to August 31, 2021. The decision was made irrespective of the conditions on the ground, citing the need to end America’s longest war.

The withdrawal process was executed but faced significant criticism for its handling, particularly regarding the speed and coordination with Afghan allies. The Afghan government collapsed much faster than U.S. intelligence had predicted, and the Taliban rapidly seized control of Kabul in August 2021.

Fallon contrasted the proactive foreign policy measures under Trump with the challenges faced today, notably Putin’s aggression. “Did Vladimir Putin embark on any new foreign adventures in those four years?” he asked, to which Austin acknowledged, “He didn’t, but…”

Fallon remarked, “So I think that if we were more concerned with our military projecting power and not worried about personal pronouns, it would be better for the American people and quite frankly the free world.”

The manner of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan has been widely criticized both domestically and internationally. Many have pointed to the chaos at Kabul airport, the failure to evacuate all American citizens and Afghan allies before the withdrawal deadline, and the subsequent humanitarian crisis. The loss of 13 U.S. service members in a suicide bombing during the evacuation efforts further intensified scrutiny.

Following the withdrawal, concerns have been raised about the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan under Taliban rule, including the rights of women and girls, and the country’s use as a base for terrorist groups.
Both administrations have faced criticism for their handling of the Afghanistan situation.

The Biden administration has been criticized for the execution of the withdrawal plan and its immediate aftermath, which saw a rapid Taliban takeover and a chaotic evacuation process. Under Biden, the significant escalation of conflict in Ukraine with the 2022 invasion has posed a major international crisis, prompting a response from the U.S. and its allies.