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:
-
Democrats seek 2026 inspiration from special election routsIN THE SPOTLIGHT High-profile wins are helping a party demoralized by Trump’s reelection regain momentum
-
Film reviews: ‘Bugonia,’ ‘The Mastermind,’ and ‘Nouvelle Vague’feature A kidnapped CEO might only appear to be human, an amateurish art heist goes sideways, and Jean-Luc Godard’s ‘Breathless’ gets a lively homage
-
‘Not all news is bad’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Has Zohran Mamdani shown the Democrats how to win again?Today’s Big Question New York City mayoral election touted as victory for left-wing populists but moderate centrist wins elsewhere present more complex path for Democratic Party
-
Senate votes to kill Trump’s Brazil tariffSpeed Read Five Senate Republicans joined the Democrats in rebuking Trump’s import tax
-
Border Patrol gets scrutiny in court, gains power in ICESpeed Read Half of the new ICE directors are reportedly from DHS’s more aggressive Customs and Border Protection branch
-
Shutdown stalemate nears key pain pointsSpeed Read A federal employee union called for the Democrats to to stand down four weeks into the government standoff
-
Trump vows new tariffs on Canada over Reagan adspeed read The ad that offended the president has Ronald Reagan explaining why import taxes hurt the economy
-
NY attorney general asks public for ICE raid footageSpeed Read Rep. Dan Goldman claims ICE wrongly detained four US citizens in the Canal Street raid and held them for a whole day without charges
-
Trump’s huge ballroom to replace razed East WingSpeed Read The White House’s east wing is being torn down amid ballroom construction
-
Trump expands boat strikes to Pacific, killing 5 moreSpeed Read The US military destroyed two more alleged drug smuggling boats in international waters
