he told me he worked with a group of vets and law makers to get those americans out, himself. the state department didn t help at all. originally our plan was to do an air evac. that was thwarted by the state command and state department. when we landed our plane we had a crew fly over from the faa to approve, the plane was a designation of a humanitarian aircraft. 25 americans on that plane, nine thousand feet in decent, approved landy slot they waved us off. i hear this over and over again in different situations. foxnews.com shows state department is blocking flights from lapping at u.s. air bases even with i.s. citizens onboard.
army veteran, and he s got a group going m too. he told me he worked with a group of vets and law makers to get those americans out, himself. the state department didn t help at all. originally our plan was to do an air evac. that was thwarted by the state command and state department. when we landed our plane we had a ppr, and a crew fly over from the faa to approve, the plane was a designation of a humanitarian aircraft. we could actually do wait and balance. 25 americans on that plane, nine thousand feet in decent, landing gear down and approve landing slots, they waived us off. i hear this over and over again in different situations. foxnews.com shows state department is blocking flights
planes. six airplanes with american citizens on them as i speak also with these interpreters and the taliban is holding them hostage for demands right now. reporter: the white house says they re not aware of any hostage situation and are working to get americans out, but a top democrat now blasting the biden administration for americans still stranded at that airport. senator richard blumenthal saying, i have been deeply frustrated, even furious at our government s delay and inaction. but the state department says they have no control over that airfield. then there is 25-year-old masria, an american from california who is pregnant and trapped in afghanistan, here speaking to voice of america. there has been days where, you know, i think to myself, i say am i going to make it home am i going to end up living here? am i going to end up dying here reporter: before u.s. forces withdrew, she scrambled to the airport with her american passport, but the taliban didn t let her throug
before americans out. julie: thank you both for coming on today. thank you, julie. julie: covid cases are showing some signs of leveling off. however, half of all americans are still not fully vaccinated. experts fear that labor day travel could drive infections. charles watson is live in atlanta with a more on this. hi, charles. hey, good morning, anita. showing no signs of slowing down. public health officials are urging tens of millions of americans to stay home this labor day in order to avoid yet another surge in covid cases. the 47% of americans who are not yet vaccinated. the cdc asking those folks to avoid travel altogether this holiday has the u.s. reports more than 160,000 new infections a day, but those requests alone may be falling on deaf ears. aaa forecasting travel to remain
out by the deadline that was agreed to by the taliban, they will allow american civilians and otherwise out of the country now that troops are gone. that s a big if, right, and one we ll have to be watching very closely in the days and weeks ahead. jeremy diamond at the white house, thanks very much. cnn s barbara starr is at the pentagon for more of what the pentagon is saying about the withdrawal of the last troops from afghanistan. barbara, i m aware you re in a building surrounded every morning in the hallways by people who served in afghanistan, commanded forces there, and likely lost fellow service members there. tell us what you re hearing from those officials now as america s longest war has ended. reporter: well, here at the pentagon, they are very adamant that while the military part of this effort is now over, it is shifting to a diplomatic effort led by the state department to continue to get americans out, afghans out who want to leave, and try and develop some sort