ISLAMABAD:In a high-stakes meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed binSalman, former US President Donald Trump sharply criticized the Americanwithdrawal from Afghanistan, lamenting the “foolish” abandonment ofbillions in military equipment to the Taliban. Speaking candidly in Riyadh,Trump attributed the debacle to “stupid people” mismanaging the countryduring his successor’s tenure. The remarks underscore persistent Republicangrievances over the chaotic 2021 pullout, which left behind advancedweaponry at key bases like Bagram Airfield. Trump’s blunt assessmenthighlighted the strategic folly, warning of long-term security risks asadversaries flaunt seized assets globally.
Trump reflected on his first term’s military investments, noting thattrillions spent on rebuilding US forces were squandered in Afghanistan dueto poor leadership. “You know, in my first term we rebuilt our military andspent trillions of dollars but we lost some of it foolishly in Afghanistanbecause we had foolish people running our country,” he stated, drawing astark contrast to his administration’s approach. The former president haslong decried the Biden-era exit, arguing it emboldened extremists anderoded American deterrence in the region.
Reiterating prior warnings, Trump vowed to reclaim the abandoned hardwareif returned to power, emphasizing the annual Taliban parades of capturedgear as an intolerable humiliation. In September, he lambasted theDemocratic administration for allowing such displays, describing the pathas “an ugly road” that demands reversal. Observers note these commentsalign with Trump’s campaign narrative, positioning the Afghanistan fiascoas a cornerstone of his critique against perceived foreign policyweaknesses under President Biden.
Intriguingly, Trump proposed redirecting some of the forsaken equipment toallies like Pakistan, suggesting it could bolster regional stabilitywithout falling into militant hands. This idea, floated amid broaderdiscussions on Middle East security, reflects his transactional diplomacystyle, prioritizing partnerships that counter shared threats. Saudi Arabia,a key US partner, appeared receptive, with Prince Mohammed engaging oncounterterrorism cooperation during the talks.
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Taliban spokesmen swiftly rebuffed the overtures, asserting the seized armsconstitute legitimate “booty” from their victory and will not besurrendered. Officials in Kabul insisted the hardware now fortifies theirdefenses, dismissing US claims as sour grapes from a defeated occupier. Theexchange risks escalating tensions, as Trump’s rhetoric could galvanizecongressional pushes for sanctions or covert recovery operations againstthe Afghan regime.Source:www.dawn.com/news/1771234/trump-afghanistan-weapons-saudi-meeting”>https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/11/19/trump-slams-us-afghan-exit-in-riyadh-talks”>https://www.dawn.com/news/1771234/trump-afghanistan-weapons-saudi-meetingSource:www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/11/19/trump-slams-us-afghan-exit-in-riyadh-talks”>https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/11/19/trump-slams-us-afghan-exit-in-riyadh-talks