Transcripts For CNNW CNN 20240704

The aura ring im Arlette Saenz at the white house. And this is cnn trump allies, surrenders. Peter navarro becoming the first former white house official to be in prison for defying congress. What will his four months in . Isnt look like well talk to an expert on whitecollar crime and well discuss how the former president s legal problems may finally be catching up with him. And former top general in the hot seat on capitol hill as House Republicans hold a highstakes Election Hearing on the Biden Administrations botched withdrawal from Afghanistan Plus escaped from haiti, americans caught in the chaos consuming that country. Now, trying to flee. And just moments, were going to be joined by a Nonprofit Group working to bring them home. Were following these major developing stories and many more all coming in right here to Cnn News Central an infamous first for a once powerful trump ally this morning, donald prompts former white house trade adviser Peter Navarro arrived at a federal prison and in miami to begin his four months sentence for contempt of congress, becoming the first former white house official to be incarcerated for define lawmakers. He was convicted after flouting a subpoena now from the house january 6, committee, he refused to testify. Youre refused to turn over documents as well. We have cnns Randy K Outside the prison in miami, and Randy Navarro decided to speak outside the prison. Tell us what he said. Yeah. He made a real show of his entrance into the prison just before he went to the prison, he stopped at a parking lot across the street and spoke with the media for about 30 minutes and he was very, very angry and frustrated with the system. He railed against democrats. The judge in his case, the january sixth committee. And one of the things he also addressed was his reason for that he claims for not obeying that subpoena. He says he was bound by Executive Privilege, so asked him when he took questions, if he regrets not just going to the House Select Committee and explaining that privilege to them. And he said that no, he has no regrets. He wouldnt have done on that because that would have been breaking his oath of office. Heres a little bit more of what he had to say to the media today when i walked in that prison today the Justice System such as the as will have done a crippling blow for the constitutional Separation Of Powers and Executive Privilege. Every person who has taken me on this road to that prison is a Freedom Democrat and trump pater and while here he is expected to stay in a dormitory for elderly male inmates, navarro is 74 years old hold and also its worth noting from his Prison Consultant that they dont expect him to serve the full four months more likely 90 days. We are told because there are laws in place for the early he released a federal inmates, brianna all right. Randy k. In miami for us. Thank you. Lets bring in cnns kaitlan fullans here in washington. Now navarro, caitlin took this fight all the way to the supreme in court. And even today, he says hes covered by Executive Privilege which is questionable. The Supreme Court did not want to look at this and hold off him serving his prison time what Peter Navarro is experiencing is because of the particular facts of what happened with him and congress. They subpoenaed him. He didnt respond. He says that this is a travesty because there should be a bubble around the presidency that is being breached right now. But actually, he never showed anything in court or even to congress that would have said he should have had some sort of protection and Executive Privilege protection, even though he was a Trump White House adviser at the time where the president would have wanted him to have protection. He just didnt have that evidence, so that makes him different and that makes him in this situation, he is now going to prison for four months to serve that sentence for contempt of congress. But one thing he does say that is correct is that he is the first senior white house official to go to prison for this charge. That said, there are other former officials in administrations who have gone to prison for a host of crimes. Thats right. Hes the first Trump Official who were former Trump Official who we see going to prison. He may not be the last, of course, steve bannon was also convicted, unlike navarro, he was able to do delay his sentence. What happened there . Yeah. Hes received the same sentences. Peter navarro of four months, but it is on hold because steve bannon has a claim before the Appeals Court what happened in his case. That is a little bit different. They did the same thing ultimately with congress. They both got these subpoenas in the house january 6 investigation and didnt respond to them any substantial way, didnt show up for testimony. But bannons difference is that he had a letter that served as what he believed could be some sort of evidence showing that maybe he was directed by donald trump not to show up. Now, why hes appealing and why hits on hold is because that particular letter cause of the law. He couldnt show that at his trial, so his attorneys are appealing on a lot of legal issues around how to prosecute these cases. What actually he could bring into court about Executive Privilege and as a defense a very different situation than what Peter Navarro is experiencing. Peter navarros last words, their see you on the other side. See you on the other side, or maybe he can tell steve bannon what it was like caitlin. Thank you so much for that. Boris were joined now by Prison Consultant and the founder of whitecollar advice, justin proper name, justin. Thanks so much for sharing part of your afternoon with us. What would you be telling Peter Navarro now as he begins his first day of incarceration i tell him this for months can feel like 40 years if it complains all day and finds people who will tell him exactly what exactly what he wants to hear that it wasnt his fault. Or he can adjust properly. Dont complain about the length of the sentence which can be off putting to people whove been in prison for a long time. He can do his job with humility. Heres a phd in economics from harvard. He could use his experience to educate people, so it can be a great time in his life, or it can be a miserable time. The good news for him, at least he gets credit for time served today. Hes one day closer to home. Thats true. He may not be a household name. Hes not really a celebrity. He he is well known in politics though he was a prominent figure in the Trump White House, maga loyalists, he was able to hold a 30minute Press Conference before starting his sentence. And most inmates dont have that luxury. Im wondering how you think his life on the outside will play on the inside . Most people who go to prison like me, are unknown because of his stature and the administration, there will be people who are sympathetic to him. There will be sycophants all around him offering to help him and he can take that advice or help or he can lay low and recognizing the totality of his life. This is a little blip and you can use the the experience for good, but certainly guards and prisoners are going to come up to him and offer him things. Others wont care and others will load him. Of course, he has an obligation to his family to adjust well, to never complain in use this experience somehow some way to benefit people in prison who have not had the opportunities that he has that throughout his lifetime use the 120 days on the inside to educate and help people. Its possible, but he has to make that choice i appreciate that, that sort of Stoic Philosophy that youre recommending. There is not much privacy apparently in that elderly mens dorm that hes likely to live in. You mentioned keeping a low profile. Would that actually be possible under those circumstances . If he chooses to create though profile, certainly he can when i was in prison, i woke it for woke up at 04 00 in the morning, so i had several hours alone to think and create and write while the dorm slept, and i would exercise alone, go to the library alone, walk that track alone. And by exercising and working hard, you go to bed earlier because because you are exhausted or he can do it so many prisoners do sit in the chow hall and lamenting complain the great thing about complaining and prison is it will eventually be your turn and there will be others who will be willing to listen to those complaints. The choice is his, but if someone tells you, you cannot find rested or privacy in federal prison that tells me they havent been to federal prison if he wants it, he can do it, but its going to require an adjustment. I think in his attitude, again, it is a little blip in his life. Use the experience for good to teach rather than complain, which is what too many new prisoners do. All eyes will be on him. I hope he adjust properly for his, for his sake and his familys sake. Theyre watching right you did mention that he will have to find a job while hes in prison. What would you recommend he do . What are the options look like potentially for him . I recommend he does this job because he prison. Theres already about 17 people who have come up to him and said you shouldnt be here. Ill do your job for you shows humility in deference if youre willing to contribute to that community of felons, he could be an orderly work in the commissary, serve food. Maybe hes scrubbing toilets and showers. Im not sure. I know you do your job on the inside you avoid disciplinary infractions, you avoid the prison hustle, and you never ever complain. Thats what he needs to do, presuming he wants this for month experience to be a productive experience and his life. And one will that one that will not define the rest of his life as it does for so many people who go through this System Justin property, we really appreciate an illuminating conversation. Thanks so much thank you. Of course, brown, to capitol hill now, where an Election Year hearing is starting on the chaotic withdrawal all from afghanistan back in 2021 for the First Time Since leaving their jobs, the top generals in charge of the time will be testifying about what happened going coin before the House Foreign Affairs committee in august of 2021, before cobble fill the world, saw images we cant really forget afghans running after planes, cramming onboard flights desperate to flee alabama rule, ultimately, more than about 120,000 people 120,000 people were evacuated from afghanistan. But the us military lost members, several members in the process on august 20, a Suicide Bombing at the airport killed 13 american troops in more than 150 afghans. Committee chair republican mike mccall said families of the us victims are seeking accountability from President Biden but they are not happy with this president. They dont think hes ever publicly apologize to them. So i do think this will lead to accountability. It should. But the fact of the matter is the Commanding Officers on the ground at that time were all promoted. There was no accountability within the dod cnns Natasha Bertrand seen as a Tasha Bertrand is with this nelson natasha, what should we be expecting from this hearing what brown at this hearing is just getting underway right now and it is the first time that we are going to be hearing from me hes to retire general since they left their posts and the big question is going to be whether they feel a little bit freer now to criticize the Biden Administrations approach to this withdrawal, or at least offer a more public and full set idea of what their recommendations were to the president at that time. If youll recall, the president pretty starkly contradicted something that his former Central Command commander Frank Mckenzie said when he was discussing the advice that he was getting from his Military Leaders surrounding the through from afghanistan, President Biden said in an interview with abc that he was never advised by senior Military Leaders to keep a Troop Presence in afghanistan, something that frank mackenzie, the Central Command commander, is expected to again butte today at that hearing. But heres a clip of what President Biden said at the time your Time Military advisers warned against withdrawing on this timeline. They wanted you to keep about 2,500, true . No, they did. It was split that wasnt true. That wasnt true. They didnt tell you that they wanted troops to stay no, not at not in terms of whether we were going to get out in a time frame, all troops they didnt argue against that. So no no one told your Military Advisers and not tell you know, we should just keep 2,500 troops. Its been a stable situation for the last several years we can do that, we can continue to do that no. No one said that to me that i can recall now, General Mackenzie has said publicly that he did recommend that the Biden Administration keep a small Troop Presence of footprint and afghanistan of about 2,500 troops expect him to reiterate that again today, because mils terry officials felt that that would be one way to maintain stability in the country and keep the taliban really from overrunning it expect also mark milley, whos the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs Of Staff, to reiterate that he has regrets about how this was handled and his recommendations to the president and to the National Security council. But they begin evacuations much sooner than they were actually started, which was really at the 11th hour in august right before the taliban began to overrun kabul. So remains to be seen just how open they are going to be. But again, because theyre not government now, this could be a more illuminating hearing than once weve seen in the past last briana. Yeah. Those evacuations began so late in the collapse happened so quickly. Chairman mccaul said, natasha, that the Family Members of those 13 american in troops who were killed by that Suicide Bombing At Abbey Gate are going to be at the hearing. What more can you tell us about this yes. So these families understandably have really demanded more accountability for the very case the Arctic Process that led up to they say the bombing At Abbey Gate and kabul, just days before the full withdrawal was complete, that killed 13 American Service members and they have demanded more explanations from the us military about how this could have happened. They have demanded that people be fired for it and importantly, they have demanded that some testimony from the surviving Service Members, surviving marines, be taken into account in the pentagons investigation of what happened here, because at least one form or at least one marine said that he had the opportunity to take out the attacker out for that was responsible for this abbey gate bombing, but he was not given the appropriate permission to to actually do that. Now the pentagon has conducted a new review and additional review of what happened At Abbey Gate, and they have just completed that investigation, including testimony from 12 additional Service Members who were not interviewed as part of the first probe, the findings of that investigation have yet to be released, but they have been briefed. We are told or they will be very soon to the Family Members. So expect that also to be weighing on them in terms of whether it provides any new information about what exactly happened to abrogate. And importantly, whether any of it could have been prevented all right well be watching for that. NaTasha Bertrand lifeforce at the pentagon. Thank you in the head this hour on Cnn News Central, the president heading west with an eye to latino voters verse his message to shore up support as polls show that it is wavering with this key voting block and desperate to get out the State Department says, it its been contacted by close to 1,000 americans in haiti are joined by a Military Veteran whos trying to help rescue them. Plus he predicted the financial prices and now hes betting on ai, the jobs. It will boost. And those that could destroy coming up we deserve a real king because if he cannot protect his own family, i was supposed to protect us and the lost kingdom. Now streaming exclusively on mac. 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Today, the president is rolling out his latino gone Biden Harris Initiative and his campaign is launching a new nationwide add an english, spanish, and spanglish its all part of a push to slow and reverse gains that republicans appear to be making with that subset of voters lets discuss with democratic congresswoman read only got escobar of texas. Shes the national cochair of the biden harris campaign. Congresswoman. Thank you so much for being with us. The president just did an interview with univision and said that former President Trump, quote despises latinos. Do you see that as the way to sway them high, boris, thanks so much. We are so excited to be kicking off. Latinos come biden. And i think it is really important that we are brutally honest with the Committee Unity about the difference between the two men. And we lived through four years of donald trump, but we saw the way that he demonized communities, Latino Communities my own community was demonized as well. We see the way that he speaks in demos derogatory hateful ways about immigrants, saying that that immigrants are not people, that immigrants are poisoning the blood of america this is a man, eight who is dangerous and who is a real threat to the vibrancy and the wellbeing of Latino Communities. Across the country. And i think its important that we speak to that. And yet congresswoman poll after poll shows that the former president is gaining among latinos and conversely, when it comes to President Biden, one of his biggest areas of weakness is the issue of immigration. One that as you know, disproportionately affects Latino Communities in large part because of geography. Do you think that going after donald trump, on his rhetoric, is that effective with those latinos that have shifted toward him . I think, first of all, it is still early and we are just now launching. Weve been and communities. But we are launching ads. We are going to be doorknocking. You are seeing the president and the Vice President in Latino Communities to make sure that we are speaking to let them knows and to be honest, boris, i have never put a whole lot of stock in polling. And what is going to be important is our direct engagement and the campaign is absolutely committed to that and its more than really just talking about donald trump and the threat that he poses to communities like ours. First, we also have to remind Latino Communities what the administration has done on student loan relief. There are a number of Latino Communities that have benefited significantly from the student loan relief. We know that Latino Communities have also benefited tremendously from the a cap on insulin and lowering Health Care Costs and addressing gun violence through the bipartisan Gun Violence Bill that the president helped lead us on. But yes immigration we have to talk about it as well. It is top of mind for all communities, including Latino Communities. Especially communities on the us mexico border, like my own. And what we saw and what should be absolutely clear to every american is that republicans want the issue of a broken system. They do not want the solutions the president worked with a Bipartisan Group on the senate. They crafted a bill that republicans called the toughest bill. And it was republicans who balked at it to that point, congresswoman i just want to say your note about polls. Youre not putting stock in them it has to be noted that in the actual election between 2,016. 20, 20, donald trump made significant gains among latinos despite his rough immigration policies, despite some of the rhetoric. So im still questioning the approach but on the issue of immigration with President Biden backing that Bipartisan Senate bill that would have sharply restricted asylum claims. It would have allowed him to shut down the border all without providing a pathway for dreamers and the other priorities that democrats have had for years on immigration do you think that that slightly more aggressive approach on Border Security resonates with voters, like in your district and el paso where as i noted before, the very negative aspects two unfettered immigration are felt the most theres no doubt that in communities like mine, we have seen our Law Enforcement agents need more resources. We have seen our community itself need more resources in order to address this historic refugee crisis that the entire Western Hemisphere as saying, i think its also important to note the president wasnt just willing to work with legislators on addressing issues at the border, but he also sees immigration as something advantageous. And he gave us a bill. He Gave Congress a bill early on on in his administration that would have provided a pathway to citizenship for dreamers that would have provided legal pathways for immigrants. In the end, people, americans want solutions. And yes, this moment calls for opening up legal pathways and provide Hitting Opportunities for new americans. But we also have to change outdated Border Policies i have my own particular views on how to best do that. But the president has shown time and again, he wants to work with congress to address this. But if you dont have a willing Republican Party and in fact, in many ways, the Republican Party of today wants to create as much chaos as possible. We are going to tell the American People about that. Were going to make sure that we remind them its republicans who have refused to provide Border Patrol and other Law Enforcement agencies with the resources that they need, its been republicans whove walked away from the negotiating table time and again, we will continue to extend our hand in a bipartisan way to republicans to address this. But its important that voters know who stands in the way of progress on these issues. And its republicans. They would argue congresswoman that President Bidens Executive Orders have made the problem worse specifically on the issue of parole. We dont have much time, but id like for you to respond to that question of changing parole rules that have made it easier for a lot of people to enter the country and stay in the country without accountability, being able to skip their court dates boris. So first of all, donald trump used the pearl system as well when Ice Detention Facilities were overcrowded during his administration, facilities that i toured, facilities that i brought my colleagues 12 also to visit and tour former President Donald Trump also used parole. So what republicans are trying to do is claim two things. Number one, that they need hardline policies passed by congress, which is why theyre big champions of their own Border Bill Called Her2 but then at the same time, theyre trying to convince the American People. No, dont listen to what we just said. The president alone can fix it neither one of those is true. We need to Work Together if were going to solve this and achieved the opportunities that exist for us. It is republicans though who continue to walk away and we will continue to remind id American People of that thomas woman. But one guy escobar, we have to leave the conversation. Theyre very much appreciate your time thanks, boris. We want to go straight to the capitol hill now where there is a hearing underway on the us withdrawal from afghanistan. Heres the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs Of Staff general mark milley, speaking to congress right now, Congress Asked lost limbs and were grievously wounded and you did its selflessly what professionalism, courage, compassion, and with great sacrifice and finally to the goldstar families that are here with us today. And those that could make it theres nothing that i can say or do. Its going to fill that gaping hole in your heart but as ive told you before, im committed and i will honor that commitment to get you the answers, to get you to the truth and i will personally and i know everyone else will as well honor your sacrifice and the sacrifice of your loved one. Thank you, mr. Chairman, i look forward to questions. Thank you, general millie, i now recognize General Mckinsey for his Opening Statement. Jennifer, thank you. And id like to just open microphone id like to ask you this Opening Statement be submitted for the record. Objections, so were chairman mccall, Ranking Member makes distinguished members of the House Foreign Affairs committee. Im here to voluntarily testified today about the military component of our withdrawal from afghanistan dan before i begin, id like to recognize the goldstar families that are here today. I hope that what we discussed today will reduce their pain. I like general millie, im humbled to be in their presence here today. As you are aware, in September 2021, i provided over ten hours of open and closed testimony on the subject to the two congressional committees charged with oversight of military operations, the House Armed Services committee and the senate Armed Services committee. Much of my testimony will be of necessity, will of Necessity Mirror that earlier transcribe testimony as a theater commander, i will confine my opening remarks so those matters that were under my direct operational control specifically the withdrawal of Us Military Forces and the subsequent Non Combatant Evacuation Operation or neo these were two distinct and separate operations. We had detailed constantly updated plans for each of them. We executed both of those plans, all the separated in time and thanks to the valor and dedication, thousands of men and women in harms way completed both missions, but not without loss of life. We honor the 13 Brave Americans who died At Abbey Gate joining the over 2,400 other Service Members who lost their lives in his 20year campaign. Their sacrifice stands with those of our coalition partners. And of course, the afghans who fought beside us for so many years i break President Trump on a plan to completely depart afghanistan own three june 2020 this plan envision the complete withdrawal of all our forces and our diplomats and citizens. It also contemplated the possible withdrawal of afghans who has served with us the plan had a number of options, but it was the framework for everything that fallen ultimately President Trump selected a branch of the plan that maintain 2,500 us Military Personnel in afghanistan by Inauguration Day in january 2021 we had branches to that plan to complete a withdrawal by may of 2021, had we been so ordered on 11 April 2021 . I received orders and President Biden through the Secretary Of Defense to execute a full Military Withdrawal by 11 September 2021 a date which was subsequently modified to the end of august. This decision did not include the withdrawal of our embassy, our citizens, and atrisk afghans. Its important to understand that we had a complete plan to execute that task as well. But were not ordered to do so. The president s decision was to maintain an embassy to not require our citizens to leave. And of course, to not expedite the extraction of atrisk afghans. This was not a Military Decision we substantially accomplished the Military Withdrawal by 12 july 2021. When i relieve general scott miller as the commander of us forces in afghanistan my orders then or to retain a Military Platform of 650 personnel solely designed to provide security for the us embassy and Karzai International airport during this period and with minimal to no support from us, the Afghan Security forces and more importantly, the government of afghanistan crumbled in the face of taliban Pressure Orders to commence the noncombatants Evacuation Operation, bringing out our embassy, our citizens, and atrisk afghans were received on 14 august these dates are important because i believe that the events of mid and late august 2021 with a direct result of delaying the initiation of the neo for several months in fact, until we were in extremis and the taliban had over run the country. As you are aware, the decision to begin a neo rest with the department of state, not the Department Of Defense. Despite this, we have begun positioning forces in the region as early as nine july, but we could do nothing nothing to commence the operation, the evacuation until the neo was declared. Our operations at Karzai International from 14 august through our ultimate departure on early 31 august, were both heroic and tragic. This was a Combat Operation of the most difficult sort carried out in contact with the enemy. We eventually put 5,784 us troops almost 2000 more coalition and other forces, eight us Maneuver Battalions on the ground at Karzai International id like to talk a little bit now About Abbey Gate it was a tragic event one of many that have occurred over a 20year engagement in afghanistan. He would remains my opinion that if there is culpability in this attack, it lies and Policy Decisions that created the environment of august 2021 and kabul culpability and responsibility do not lie with a troops on the ground who perform magnificently. It is not lie with attune, company or battalion commanders are the Flag Officers who oversaw operations on the ground and cobble. The simple fact is this on the battlefield, even with good planning . Tremendous execution by bray people on the ground the enemy sometimes has success. To ignore this fact is to ignore the fundamental reality of the battlefield if theres fault, it lies in a Policy Decision that placed the joint force in this situation and expose the force over time to the possibility of these kinds of attacks. We did not rely on the taliban for our security we use them as one tool among many to beef up our defensive posture. We avoided a number of potential abbey gate attacks. And im proud of the commanders and troops who prevented them. This is small comfort to those who lost loved ones. And i realize this nonetheless, whats remarkable about cobble is not that the tragedy of abbey gate happened, but that many other attacks did not happen. Ill end my statement with this observation i, was the overall commander and i and i alone bear full Military Responsibility for what happened At Abbey Gate. Thank you, chairman. Im ready for questions thank you, General Mackenzie, i now recognize myself for questions. We have a Sergeant Tyler Vargas Andrews here today i want to thank you, sir, for your service and your courage for testifying before this committee almost a year ago to the day he was a sniper At Abbey Gate and testified to us that he had the Suicide Bomber in his sights. That identify was identified on the be on the lookout he sent the Sniper Photos and other related documents to his Commanding Officer for permission to engage the Suicide Bomber yet that warning was ignored he never heard back i and the chairman of the Armed Services committee after that testimony, single letter to the department offense requesting that these documents and Sniper Photos be delivered to the congress, produce to the congress by this document, this Letter Request to date, that has been ignored. The Department Of Defense has refused weve also requested the testimonies general Chris Donahue an admiral peter vaguely, who were the Commanding Officers on the ground during the abbey gate disaster to both of you . To general millie do you think that these documents should be turned over to the United States congress . And do you think that both general donoghue and admiral basically should testify before congress . Sure. I absolutely do. I believe transparency or the Board Of Directors for this corporation called the american government, and i believe that youre entitled to those within the bounds of classification. Absolutely. So whatever documents are out there should be turned over to the appropriate committees of jurisdiction and oversight and whatever witnesses are needed to establish truth and transparency within the bounds of classification. Absolutely happen absolutely. Thats why im here thank you chairman. I agree with journal meli and i associate myself with his remarks so also on accountability, ive asked the state Department Officials who was responsible for the catastrophic emergency evacuation. Not surprisingly, they point their fingers at the Department Of Defense. But i want to set the record straight. While the dod helps conduct the emergency evacuation, its a State Department that is responsible under law for developing the plan and leading the evacuation, is that your understanding yes State Department is lead Federal Agency for planning and execution, oversight of the execution of the noncompetitive operation and the Department Of Defense is in support of in other departments are in support of the State Department, state, province lead Federal Agency for nios. Thats correct. General mckinsey, i agree with that its a State Department on responsible under law again, for requesting the Emergency Evacuations that correct that is correct. And i think actually, i think thats done at the ambassadorial level. Take jury i have to check the law, but i think the ambassador can make the decision to execute a neo, but typically itll be the him or the Secretary Of State. And did the State Department specifically embassy cobble have an Evacuation Plan for afghanistan . So, chairman, every every embassy has an Evacuation Plan for afghanistan. And Embassy Cabel had had a plan had what we would call an f 77 lists, which is the list of us citizens and their families that are in the country. And we struggled to gain access to that plan and work with them over the the months of july until we finally got a decision to execute the neo, which as ive already mentioned, occurred on the 14th of august. Now we worked with the embassy before then, but we didnt have authority to move out and do the things that you have to do to make a neo happen until the 14th of july, a correction the 14th of august. And as i noted, we were in extremis at that point and august 14, just days before the fall of cobble and the evacuation of the embassy august 14th is when they finally put forward this plan. And thats when we got authority to execute the thats when you got authority and you urge the white house and State Department to put pen to paper to develop a plan to get americans. And our afghan allies out of afghanistan, correct . Yes, i did. In fact, i was concerned by the middle of july. I was concerned about the different pace of Department Of Defense planning as compared to department of state planning and i took an opportunity then to make representations to the secretary about my concern over that the fact that we were fai was concerned that we were going to arrive at different locations just based on it and i went to the secretary was spent some time talking about that and actually followed up with a written with a written ideal and some things that we could do send a letter with ten recommendations to the Secretary Defense on that is that youre weve been listening to former centcom commander general Kenneth Mackenzie and his testimony to the House Foreign Affairs committee on the messy withdrawal from afghanistan, mecole, in his latest set of questions, making clear that hes putting the State Department at the center of some of the failures associated with the withdrawal i will of course, continue to monitor these questions four important former generals in the United States services were going to take a quick break and well be back in just moments. 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Com closed captioning is brought to you by sokoloff Law Mesothelial more victims call now 30 billion in trust money has been set aside. You may be entitled to a portion of that money all when 808592400. Thats when 808592400 lets listen back again to the House Foreign Affairs Committee Hearing on the withdrawal from afghanistan. Prior to retirement, chairman call asked me would you be willing to discuss with the committee . I said absolutely. Yes. No threat to subpoena and ocha balls or nothing i said yes, i saw chairman call again after retirement and he reminded me that comes as i said, sure. Absolutely. So in january and february of this year, we worked out some of the details. I said i wanted to go back and review records, et cetera and then it was originally supposed to be a closed classified hearing because and i still think were going to do one of those after this. And i thought that was important to be a classified hearing because a lot of information is still classified and then there was a discussion of a public hearing so just speaking of that when you test before youve testified before you testified before the Armed Services committee. Is that correct . Testified before the house and senate Armed Services committees in both classified and open hearings. And then have testified about afghanistan and several other testimonies that werent specifically into General Mackenzie. Thats correct. And is your testimony has anything changed from when you were in uniform and testifying to what youve testified today, has there anything that you didnt testify to before that youre testifying to now, is there any change of you thought of what took place today from what you testified to previously in general for me, everything that i testified before is still true and accurate today and in open testimony, that that would be correct. I have learned more from About Abbey Gate because of the investigations that wasnt available during previous testimonies for me, it wasnt but i have since read those investigations in the briefed on them, but they werent available at the first time. So your testimony to date is still basically consistent in france very can just totally consistent gentle mckenzie, thats the same for me. Right. So theres not really anything new that was learned today because you testified to it before, right ill leave, that to you all to determine if theres anything new. Im just asking you from your testimony from what you what has been made public, and what has been published. Is basically this is not something Ranking Member, as i mentioned in my Opening Statement, much of what i say today is going to mirror the ten hours thats my point. I get. This is not anything Ground Breaking or anything that is being discovered newly. This is something that has been out in the public from the time that you testified back in 2022, 2022, right . Nothing groundbreaking here. Fact of the matter is let me ask this question i think maybe it was you genital millie said that the framework for what took place during the 20 years because i think that we should be looking at if we really want to figure out what went wrong, what we need to fix, we need to look at the entire 20 years of being in afghanistan, not just the last few months, would you say thats correct . Yes. And i said that before as well in previous testimony, nine the written remarks, so many for the record, ive elaborated on what i think or say top ten lessons learned, but theres many more youre not going to learn all the lessons of a 20 year war in short sessions, but i think theres a huge amount of lessons to be learned over the course of 20 years. Should we have going to have to bin laden in 2001 . And that winter, we had we had them more or less from an intel standpoint. We thought we had a located should we could we have yes. Should we have i think yes. And i insight that would change the trajectory of the whole war and theres a whole series of lessons along the way. Specific to this hearing and to help these families. I think the focus is more recent relative to the withdrawal itself and the abbey gate, the neo but youre correct Holistic View absolutely, i think and that but thats going to take a considerable amount of time. Would you say that the Doha Agreement that was done on the Trump Trump Administration had some connection to the conditions on the ground when joe biden became president and leading on up into two, took place At Abbey Gate. There was some theres a nexus. Is that not correct . Yeah. I think that the end game, if you will, the final months i think the framework of that is set by the Doha Agreement. Absolutely. So if weve got to study to find out the findings of what we should do we should be talking about what happened during the Trump Administration. As well as what took place during the Biden Administration because they are connected, theyre not separate. And said were serious about trying to figure out what took place and why it took place. We should be looking at both what took place under the Bush Administration the obama administration, the Trump Administration and is that not correct . Sure. As you point out for president s, i think theres half a dozen Secretary Of Defense, halfadozen Secretary Of State does have it as in chairman of Joint Chiefs Of Staff, does another for commanders and afghan so yes, theres absolutely lessons to be learned through all of this. And the endgame using the door agreement, if you wanted to say that was the start point sure. Theres theres a lot to be said about that as well, and there is a continuum, as ive mentioned in my Opening Statement, theres no phenomenon. The end of the war. My point is this if weve taken a serious look at this, you cant just take a peek at one little segment of it and say, this is the reason everything happened without looking at what preceded it, because youd have to look at it innocent, tie it isnt that correct . If youre serious about trying to figure out how were going to make the mistakes that may have made the thing that we did, right . You can only do that in a Serious Investigation if you take all of it and you look at all of it and you examine all of it. Not just piece thing that would you agree with that . Of course. I said that and i opened statement said in previous testimony that a holistic look at the whole war in order to really determine outcomes, et cetera. And anything has complexes award is not the result of a single causal factor. Theres multiple factors. Decision, so yes, in general, i agree but im here for this families to try to get them answers and to try to get answers on the immediate issues that are at hand. So i know i know saw the chairman went until just want to do the same amount of time, but he had i dont want get cut off there so let me let me ask this with the conclusion of the doha deal the taliban stopped attacking us forces inside of canada stands. Is that correct they well, yes, lethal attacks. They werent they committed to not doing that. There were some attacks, but they committed to not conducting lethal attacks. And by my memory, i dont think there was a lethal attack on us forces so let me ask this, running out of time. I know i saw the chairman finished it out with five minutes there. So and the united when the United States committed to the doha deal that was to withdraw. And i quote, withdrawal from afghanistan. All military forces of the United States, its Allies Coalition partners, including all non diplomatic civilian personnel, private security contractors, trainers advisors, and supporting service personnel. Is that correct . That was a doha deal done under the Trump Administration, is that correct . As i recall, i think there was seven conditions of the United States signed up to an eight conditions that the taliban signed up to you. And i think you rattled off most of the key ones. It was a very explicit thing. It said you had to go from there were 13,000 more or less . 13,000 us troops. When doe was signed and then it was yet to go to at 600 and hundred 35 day let me just do this i want to make sure that house with affairs committee, what is a very highstakes hearing as you have to now, civilians, but then top generals who were obviously very involved is the Biden Administration was overseeing what turned into a withdrawal from ghanas stan that came when it came to the withdrawal of a bunch of noncombatants, which is the chaos we saw at the airport there in kabul came much sooner than expected. I did an obviously was very chaotic and ultimately deadly 413 Service Members whose families are actually in the audience there in the gallery watching this hearing, were going to continue to monitor this as we look to see what retired General Mackenzie and milli are going to be saying as they are, theyre answering questions of lawmakers. 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