President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team is compiling a list of military officers involved in the 2021 Afghanistan withdrawal by the Biden administration, according to sources familiar with the plan.
The transition team is considering the formation of a commission to investigate the widely criticized withdrawal, which saw the Taliban reclaim control of Afghanistan and left 13 American service members dead.
Sources told NBC News that the commission would examine key figures in the decision-making process and the specific execution of the military’s withdrawal strategy.
“They’re taking it very seriously,” said an individual with knowledge of the plan, noting that Trump’s team is investigating who was responsible for specific actions and choices during the withdrawal.
This commission, if established, may determine whether any military leaders involved could face serious charges, including potential court martial or even accusations as severe as treason.
The transition team’s work is reportedly being led by Matt Flynn, a former deputy assistant secretary of defense for counternarcotic and global threats, who has taken on a prominent role in organizing this investigation.
The Trump team is focused on uncovering any potential failures in leadership that might have contributed to the withdrawal’s chaotic outcome, particularly during the Kabul airport evacuation.
This planned investigation resonates strongly with Trump’s previous criticisms of the Afghanistan withdrawal.
Shortly after the Taliban takeover, Trump publicly called the withdrawal “the most embarrassing, incompetent, and humiliating event in the history of the United States.”
The U.S. military’s presence in Afghanistan, initiated in October 2001, spanned 20 years and concluded with the withdrawal in 2021.
The chaotic end to America’s longest war has since been a point of contention, with Republican lawmakers and Trump supporters alike holding the Biden administration responsible for the lives lost and the upheaval witnessed during the final days of U.S. presence in Afghanistan.
The commission, if formed, would aim to identify those responsible for the decisions made and consider any legal repercussions.
The push for scrutiny reflects a rising sentiment among Republican leaders and Trump’s team, who aim to hold the Biden administration accountable for what they see as a deeply flawed exit from Afghanistan.
As Trump’s team moves forward with plans to investigate the withdrawal, supporters argue that this effort is essential to honor the service members who sacrificed for the mission and to prevent similar chaotic events in future operations.