Biden vows to complete Afghan evacuation, but admits risks

President Biden on Friday sought to assure the public that his administration would do everything possible to evacuate American citizens and Afghans who assisted U.S. forces in Afghanistan, while acknowledging the mission faced risks and the situation was unpredictable.

In remarks from the East Room of the White House, Biden defended his administration’s withdrawal from Afghanistan and insisted that officials have made progress in evacuation efforts.

“Make no mistake, this evacuation mission is dangerous. It involves risks to our armed forces and it's being conducted under difficult circumstances,” Biden said. “I cannot promise what the final outcome will be or ... that it will be without risk of loss. But as commander in chief, I can assure you that I will mobilize every resource necessary.”