Skip to content
CapRadio

CapRadio

signal status listen live donate
listen live donate signal status
listen live donate signal status
  • News
    • topics
    • State Government
    • Environment
    • Health Care
    • Race and Equity
    • Business
    • Arts and Lifestyle
    • Food and Sustainability
    • PolitiFact California
  • Music
    • genres
    • Classical
    • Jazz
    • Eclectic
    • Daily Playlist
  • Programs + Podcasts
    • news
    • Morning Edition
    • All Things Considered
    • Marketplace
    • Insight With Vicki Gonzalez
    • music
    • Acid Jazz
    • At the Opera
    • Classical Music
    • Connections
    • Excellence in Jazz
    • Hey, Listen!
    • K-ZAP on CapRadio
    • Mick Martin's Blues Party
    • Programs A-Z
    • Podcast Directory
  • Schedules
    • News
    • Music
    • ClassicalStream
    • JazzStream
    • Weekly Schedule
    • Daily Playlist
  • Community
    • Events Calendar
    • CapRadio Garden
    • CapRadio Reads
    • Ticket Giveaways
  • Support
    • Evergreen Gift
    • One-Time Gift
    • Corporate Support
    • Vehicle Donation
    • Stock Gift
    • Legacy Gift
    • Endowment Gift
    • Benefits
    • Member FAQ
    • e‑Newsletter
    • Drawing Winners
    • Thank You Gifts
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Close Menu

Watch Live: Biden Delivers Remarks After The Last U.S. Troops Leave Afghanistan

Tuesday, August 31, 2021 | Sacramento, CA
Evan Vucci / AP

President Joe Biden listens during a virtual meeting with FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell and governors and mayors of areas impacted by Hurricane Ida in Washington, D.C., on Monday.

Evan Vucci / AP

Brian Naylor | NPR

Updated August 31, 2021 at 2:36 PM ET

President Biden will address the nation on Tuesday on his decision to pull U.S. troops out of Afghanistan by Aug. 31.

The last U.S. troops left Afghanistan on Monday, ending America's longest war.

He is expected to speak at 2:45 p.m. ET. Watch live here:

�

White House press secretary Jen Psaki says Biden will thank commanders and service members who helped evacuate more than 124,000 people out of Afghanistan in recent weeks as well as "lay out his decision to end the war in Afghanistan after 20 years, including the tough decisions he made over the last seven months since he took office to bring the war to a close."

The president, Psaki said, will make clear that "he will approach our foreign policy through the prism of what is in our national interests, including how best to continue to keep the American people safe."

Nearly 2,500 U.S. service members have died over the 20-year war, which cost hundreds of billions of dollars.

The withdrawal from Afghanistan was also anything but smooth. Thirteen American service members and an estimated 170 Afghans were killed by a suicide bomber at a gate at the Kabul airport last week. In response, a U.S. drone strike had targeted suspected ISIS-K militants; the group had claimed responsibility for the attack. Now the U.S. military says it is looking into reports that up to 10 civilians were killed when the U.S. carried out another strike Sunday on a vehicle near the airport.

In a statement Monday, Biden said there was a unanimous recommendation by the U.S. military to end the airlift mission as planned.

"Their view was that ending our military mission was the best way to protect the lives of our troops and secure the prospects of civilian departures for those who want to leave Afghanistan in the weeks and months ahead," Biden said.

The U.S. has evacuated some 5,400 Americans from Afghanistan over the past month.

Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said Monday that fewer than 200 American citizens remained in the country and that the U.S. would "continue our relentless efforts to help Americans, foreign nationals and Afghans to leave Afghanistan, if they choose."

Biden criticized for pulling out U.S. troops before all Americans exited

Sen Ben Sasse, R- Neb., said in a statement, "The President made the morally indefensible decision to leave Americans behind. Dishonor was the President's choice. May history never forget this cowardice."

The comment is broadly reflective of the criticism Biden has faced — from Republicans and Democrats — on the manner in which the withdrawal was carried out.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin released a statement Monday night, thanking "all those who labored so hard and under such difficult circumstances over the past few weeks."

Austin noted the toll of the military's two-decade-long presence in Afghanistan. "We lost 2,461 troops in that war, and tens of thousands of others suffered wounds, seen and unseen," he said.

"The scars of combat don't heal easily, and often never heal at all."


Follow us for more stories like this

CapRadio provides a trusted source of news because of you.  As a nonprofit organization, donations from people like you sustain the journalism that allows us to discover stories that are important to our audience. If you believe in what we do and support our mission, please donate today.

Donate Today  

Coronavirus Newsletter

Get answers to your questions, the latest updates and easy access to the resources you need, delivered to your inbox.

 

Want to know what to expect? Here's a recent newsletter.

Thanks for subscribing!

We'll send you weekly emails so you can stay informed about the coronavirus in California.

Browse all newsletters
 We Get Support From:
Become a Supporter 
 We Get Support From:
Become a Supporter 

Back to Top

  • CapRadio

    7055 Folsom Boulevard
    Sacramento, CA 95826-2625

    • (916) 278-8900
    • Toll-free (877) 480-5900
    • Email Us
    • Submit a News Tip
  • Contact Us

  • About Us

    • Contact Us / Feedback
    • Coverage
    • Directions
    • Careers & Internships
    • Mission / Vision / Core Values
    • Press
    • Staff Directory
    • Board of Directors
  • Listening Options

    • Mobile App
    • On Air Schedules
    • Smart Speakers
    • Playlist
    • Podcasts
    • RSS
  • Connect With Us

    •  Facebook
    •  Twitter
    •  Instagram
    •  YouTube
  • Donate

  • Listen

  • Newsletters

CapRadio stations are licensed to California State University, Sacramento. © 2022, Capital Public Radio. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Website Feedback FCC Public Files: KXJZ KKTO KUOP KQNC KXPR KXSR KXJS. For assistance accessing our public files, please call 916-278-8900 or email us.