Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Tuesday, Jun 24, 2025

US lawmakers issue warning to State Department

Representatives have threatened compulsory measures if they are not given access to information on the hasty withdrawal from Afghanistan
The US Department of State must comply with a request from Congress to provide materials on the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan or face a compulsory process, the new Republican chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee has said in a letter.

Representative Michael McCaul demanded a laundry list of documents and answers to specific questions from Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a ten-page missive, dated Thursday. He also touted his new authority as head of the oversight body in the GOP-majority chamber. 

McCaul also dismissed previous denials of his requests by President Joe Biden's administration as “absurd and disgraceful,” and vowed that the committee “will use the authorities available to it to enforce” the release.

The questions he posed cover details of the department’s assessments of the ramifications of pulling NATO troops out of Afghanistan, the process itself, and the state of the country in the aftermath. He also asked for an account of Washington’s contact with the Taliban, which retook control of Afghanistan amid the US-led withdrawal.

The demands follow McCaul’s visit on Wednesday to Foggy Bottom in his new capacity. State Department spokesman Ned Price called the lawmaker’s meeting with Blinken and other employees “truly constructive,” but declined to comment on his interest in Afghanistan.

Blinken “believes deeply” in winning bipartisan support in Congress, Price told journalists during a daily briefing. The legislative body has the important functions of authorization, appropriation, and oversight, he added, and the people at the State Department “believe in the utility, in the necessity of each of those functions.”

The US and its allies pulled out of Afghanistan in August 2021, after two decades of military presence. NATO invaded the country in 2001 and toppled the Taliban government, citing its refusal to capture and hand over Al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Explosions Rock Doha as Iranian Missiles Target Qatar
“You Have 12 Hours to Flee”: Israeli Threat Campaign Targets Surviving Iranian Officials
Oman Set to Introduce Personal Income Tax, First in Gulf
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Iran Intensifies Crackdown on Alleged Mossad Operatives After Sabotage Claims
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
Mass exodus in Tehran as millions try to flee following Trump’s evacuation order
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
Iran Conducts Ballistic Missile Launches Amid Heightened Tensions with Israel
Iran Signals Openness to Nuclear Negotiations Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions
Shock Within Iran’s Leadership: Khamenei’s Failed Plan to Launch 1,000 Missiles Against Israel
Trump's Anti-War Stance Tested Amid Israel-Iran Conflict
UK Deploys Jets to Middle East Amid Rising Tensions
Exiled Iranian Prince Reza Pahlavi Urges Overthrow of Khamenei Regime
Wreck of $17 Billion San José Galleon Identified Off Colombia After 300 Years
Iran Launches Extensive Missile Attack on Israel Following Israeli Strikes on Nuclear Sites
Israel Issues Ultimatum to Iran Over Potential Retaliation and Nuclear Facilities
Black Box Recovered from Air India Crash Site
Coinbase CEO Warns Bitcoin Could Supplant US Dollar Amid Mounting National Debt
Trump to Iran: Make a Deal — Sign or Die
Operation "Like a Lion": Israel Strikes Iran in Unprecedented Offensive
Israel Launches 'Operation Rising Lion' Targeting Iranian Nuclear and Military Sites
Israeli Forces Intercept Gaza-Bound Aid Vessel Carrying Greta Thunberg
IMF Warns of Severe Global Trade War Impacts on Emerging Markets
Syria to Reconnect to Global Economy After 14 Years of Isolation
Israel Confirms Arming Gaza Clan to Counter Hamas Influence
Global News Roundup: From Ukraine's strategic military strikes and Russia's demands and Tensions Escalate in Ukraine, to serious legal issues faced by Britons in Bali and Trump's media criticism, the latest developments highlight a turbulent landscape
U.S. Reduces Military Presence in Syria
Trump Demands Iran End All Uranium Enrichment in Nuclear Talks
Iran Warns Europe Against Politicizing UN Nuclear Report
×