Biden Pledges to Evacuate All Americans and Afghan Allies from Kabul

President Joe Biden pledged Friday to safely evacuate all American citizens and Afghan allies fleeing the Taliban. “Let me be clear, any American who wants to come home, we will get you home," Biden said. Biden also acknowledged that “this evacuation mission is dangerous,” adding, “I cannot promise what the final outcome will be, or… that it will be without risk of loss.” Responding to questions from reporters, Biden also said he had seen “no question of our credibility” from American allies and claimed that al Qaeda was “gone” from Afghanistan. However, Defense Department Press Secretary John Kirby later told reporters that al Qaeda and ISIS were “a presence” in the country and declined to provide exact figures. 

Most coverage from across the spectrum focused on Biden’s commitment to evacuate Americans and Afghan allies. Some coverage in right-rated outlets focused on Kirby contradicting Biden’s al Qaeda claim. In quoting Biden’s “final outcome” statement, Fox News included Biden misspeaking, potentially contributing to a narrative in right-rated outlets that questions Biden’s mental fitness: “what the final outcome will be, or what it will be that it will be without risk of loss.” Other outlets tended to omit the misspoken words or replace them with an ellipsis.