Trump Likens US Withdrawal from Afghanistan to a Retreat

US President Donald Trump on Friday criticized the withdrawal of American forces from Afghanistan during his speech in North Carolina, describing it as a retreat and highlighting the abandonment of military equipment.

Trump stated that the US was supposed to leave "with dignity and power," but instead "it was like we were fleeing." He claimed a plane worth $150 million was left behind in Afghanistan and asserted that "we don't flee from anyone." Trump described the events under former President Joe Biden as "shameful."

The president has repeatedly addressed the issue of US equipment left in Afghanistan, warning that he will reclaim the weapons from the Taliban. He noted that the Taliban parade annually with American equipment on what he called an "ugly road," which angers him.