ABC News journalist Ian Pannell, reporting on the ground in Afghanistan, called President Biden out for his Friday claim that Americans stuck in Kabul have had little to no difficulty getting to the airport, telling colleague David Muir that it seems "the reality and the rhetoric are miles apart," per ABC News.
When asked by Muir if Biden's remarks "square with the reporting on the ground," Pannell replied immediately and confidently, "I mean — just totally not."
"Last night ... we had Americans that had exactly that experience," who presented their passports, as required, and were "beaten by the Taliban with the rubber fan belt from a vehicle," Pannell continued. Americans, Afghans, and special immigrant visa applicants have all reportedly tried and failed to access the airport at times, hindered by dangerous Taliban checkpoints, for example. Biden told reporters Friday that the Taliban has been allowing Americans through, adding "we will do whatever needs to be done to see to it [Americans] get to the airport."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"I'm not quite sure what advice the president is receiving. But the truth on the ground is that these people who are in fear of their lives can't get through," added Pannell.
Watch below:
-
Judge bars Trump’s National Guard moves in OregonSpeed Read In an emergency hearing, a federal judge blocked President Donald Trump from sending National Guard troops into Portland
-
Museum head ousted after Trump sword gift denialSpeed Read Todd Arrington, who led the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum, denied the Trump administration a sword from the collection as a gift for King Charles
-
Trump declares ‘armed conflict’ with drug cartelsspeed read This provides a legal justification for recent lethal military strikes on three alleged drug trafficking boats
-
Supreme Court rules for Fed’s Cook in Trump feudSpeed Read Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook can remain in her role following Trump’s attempts to oust her
-
Judge rules Trump illegally targeted Gaza protestersSpeed Read The Trump administration’s push to arrest and deport international students for supporting Palestine is deemed illegal
-
Trump: US cities should be military ‘training grounds’Speed Read In a hastily assembled summit, Trump said he wants the military to fight the ‘enemy within’ the US
-
US government shuts down amid health care standoffSpeed Read Democrats said they won’t vote for a deal that doesn’t renew Affordable Care Act health care subsidies
-
YouTube to pay Trump $22M over Jan. 6 expulsionSpeed Read The president accused the company of censorship following the suspension of accounts post-Capitol riot
