House panel subpoenas Blinken over Afghanistan withdrawal
Defense And Security,Antony Blinken,Politics,Middle East,Biden Administration,Afghanistan,US Military,Foreign Affairs,US House
The House Foreign Affairs Committee chair subpoenaed Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday to provide further testimony on the chaotic and deadly U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
The big picture: Rep. Michael McCaul's (R-Texas) office said in a statement that Blinken "must appear before the committee" on Sept. 19, 2024, "or face contempt" charges.
Driving the news: "The Committee is holding this hearing because the Department of State was central to the Afghanistan withdrawal and served as the senior authority during the August non-combatant evacuation operation," McCaul wrote in a letter to Blinken Tuesday.
McCaul's office said he issued the subpoena because Blinken had refused previous requests to appear before the panel.