Pelosi admonishes congressmen who flew to Kabul amid evacuation efforts


House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on Wednesday spoke out against Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.) and Rep. Peter Meijer (R-Mich.) traveling to Kabul on Tuesday, saying this diverted resources amid efforts to get Americans and at-risk Afghans out of Afghanistan.
"It's not just about them going to Afghanistan, but in going to the region, because there's a call on our resources diplomatically, politically, militarily in the region as well, so this is deadly serious," Pelosi told reporters. She said the congressmen were supposed to get approval from committee chairs before traveling, and Moulton never received authorization from the Democratic side. "The point is that we don't want anybody to think this was a good idea and that they should try to follow suit," Pelosi added.
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said later on Wednesday that he didn't think it was "right" that Moulton and Meijer went to Kabul, but he can understand "their frustration of why they would want to go. ... They realize it's life and death so yes, they made a decision to try to do something on their own." He also said he's explained to other members of Congress who want to fly to Kabul that "I think it creates a greater risk ... you take military away from doing their job of getting as many Americans out as we can."
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.
A spokesman for Moulton told The Washington Post on Tuesday that the congressmen, both veterans who served in Iraq, were in Kabul for less than 24 hours, and flew out on a plane that had extra room. After their trip made headlines, Pelosi sent a letter reminding members of Congress that the State Department and Defense Department have asked lawmakers to stay away from Afghanistan, as their presence "would unnecessarily divert needed resources from the priority mission of safely and expeditiously evacuating Americans and Afghans at risk from Afghanistan."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
5 dramatically dysfunctional cartoons about the government shutdown
Cartoons Artists take on life without government, foam finger pointing, and more
-
October 4 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Saturday's political cartoons include the Einstein files, defunding the police, and an odd tribute to Jane Goodall
-
Mustardy beans and hazelnuts recipe
The Week Recommends Nod to French classic offers zingy, fresh taste
-
Museum head ousted after Trump sword gift denial
Speed 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 cartels
speed 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 feud
Speed Read Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook can remain in her role following Trump’s attempts to oust her
-
Judge rules Trump illegally targeted Gaza protesters
Speed 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 standoff
Speed 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 expulsion
Speed Read The president accused the company of censorship following the suspension of accounts post-Capitol riot
-
Oregon sues to stop Trump military deployment
Speed Read The president wants to send the National Guard into Portland