Welcome, everyone. I am Sandra Smith and this is america reports. John i am John Roberts in washington. Talking about ending the mission in afghanistan as the u. S. Now depends on the goodwill of the taliban to rescue americans and allies still stuck in the country. We now know that dozens of u. S. Journalists and their families are among the stranded. This comes as new photos of taliban holding mock funerals. Sandra Nikki Haley joins us ahead of the Pentagon News Conference at happening in just a moment. First, a u. N. Ambassador, your reaction to those photos, as outrage is pouring in . But also big questions as to whether or not those journalists left behind can count on this president and take him at his word that he will get them out of that country and out of Harms Way . Thank you, sandra. First, i can tell you that those photos are every reason blinken, sullivan, and biden should not be trusting the taliban. I think what we are seeing with the journalists and americans there, biden at some point has to admit that they lied to us. They are not being honest with the american people. They are not being transparent. They are trying to keep it quiet that journalists are there, acting like there is only 100 americans there. Acting like this isnt as bad but when you use words like rescue, and stranded, you are dealing with a hostage situation. Now we have multiple hostages inside afghanistan, having to negotiate with the Jihadist Group. Its disgusting. Sandra what took place with this administration before the fall of afghanistan to to te taliban, if you can stand by, the briefing has started at the pentagon. Listen in. Good afternoon and thanks for being here. Its been a busy time for all of us in this department. A proud one and a solemn one too. Weve concluded our historic Evacuation Operation and end at the last mission of the u. S. War in afghanistan. Americas longest war has come to a close. Both as a terry and a veteran of our afghan war, my thoughts have been with the Brave Americans who stood up to serve when Al Qaeda attacked us on september 11th, 2001. My heart is with their families and Loved Ones and with our friends and allies and fellow citizens whose lives were lost or changed forever over 20 years of war. We remember 2,461 american Service Members and personnel who paid the ultimate price in this war. And more than 20,000 wounded americans, some still carrying the scars that you cant see on the outside. We also remembered the thousands of american contractors who lost their lives. Hundreds of partners in nato and beyond. Afghan soldiers and Police Officers, Tens Of Thousands more afghan civilians. Now, we have just concluded the largest Air Evacuation of americans in American History. It was heroic, historic. And i hope that all americans will unite to thank our Service Members for their courage and compassion. They were operating in an immensely dangerous and dynamic environment. But our troops were tireless, fearless, and selfless. Our commanders never flinched and our allies and partners were extraordinary. The united states evacuated some 6,000 American Citizens and a total of more than 124,000 civilians. And we did it all in the midst of a pandemic and in the face of grave and growing threats. I am incredibly proud of those that made it happen. They made it happen with grit, skill, and humanity. Our outstanding men and women showed steady judgment under crushing pressure, including some very young Service Members who summoned up exceptional courage at close quarters. They ran an International Airport. They sped up visas, they fed the hungry. They comforted the desperate. They got a plane after plane into the sky. Our forces risked their own lives to save the lives of others. And 13 of our very best paid the ultimate price. Many of them were too young to personally remember the 9 11 attacks. The united States Military will always honor their heroism. We mourn with their families and we owe them support through the days and years ahead. It is noteworthy that on the day of the attack at the airport, our troops and their partners pushed hard and carried on. Putting 89 rescue flights in the air in a span of 24 hours. And lifting 12,500 souls to freedom. It has been an enormous achievement not just by the u. S. Military but also by the militaries of our allies and partners. And of course by our teammates at the State Department. Now the war is over and we are entering a new chapter, one where our diplomats into interagency partners take the lead. We are part of an urgent Team Effort to move afghan evacuees out of temporary housing in intermediate Staging Bases in the gulf and in europe and on to begin new lives. And i will be traveling to the gulf next week to thank our partners there who have done so much to help save and shelter afghan civilians. Now some of those brave afghans will be coming to make new lives with their families in america. After careful Screening And Security vetting from Ir Interagency partners. We are temporarily sheltering these evacuees at facilities at home. Im proud of The Way that our military communities have welcomed them. Some of these courageous afghans fought alongside us. They and their families have more than earned their places in the land of the free and the home of the brave. And welcoming these afghans isnt just about what theyve done. Its about who we are. Now as one mission ends, others must go on. Even during our afghan retrograde, this department was racing to help victims of Natural Disasters at home and abroad and we still are. Weve been driving to end the pandemic. And we continue to tackle Security Challenges from china, russia, iran, and north korea. Its our duty to defend this nation and we are not going to take our eye off the ball. That means relentless Counterterrorism Efforts against any threat to the american people from any place. It means working with our partners to ensure stability in the region around afghanistan. And it means a new focus to our leadership in this young century. To meet the Security Challenges from china, to seize new opportunities in the indo pacific and elsewhere and to deepen our ties with allies and new partners. And to defend our democracy against all enemies. But for today, i want to end with a word to the force and their families. I know that these have been difficult days for many of us. As we look back as a nation on the War In Afghanistan, i hope that we will all do so with thoughtfulness and respect. I will always be proud of the part that we played in this war. But we should not expect afghan war veterans to agree any more than any other group of americans. Ive heard strong views from many sides in recent days. And that is vital. That is democracy. Thats america. As we always do, this department will look back clearly and professionally and learn every lesson that we can. That is our way. But right now, it is time to thank all of those who served in this war. Because you are the greatest asset that we have. You. The extraordinary men and women who volunteered to keep us all safe, and your families. So my prayers are with you. With the Gold Star families who lost Loved Ones in afghanistan, and with the warriors who mourn their fallen brothers and sisters, and with those who bear the wounds of war, to body and to soul, we will never forget what you did. And what you gave. Our country owes you thanks. That wont fade. And support that wont falter. The war has ended but our gratitude never will. And finally, just a word about the Navy Helicopter Mishap overnight, off the coast of california, i know the navy is working diligently with Search And Rescue operations. On behalf of the whole department, i want to pass on our thoughts and prayers for the best possible outcome. It is yet another reminder of the dangers that our men and women face every day. Overseas, at sea, and here at home. Let me turn it over to the chairman. Thanks, secretary. Good afternoon. Three weeks ago, the united States Military received a mission to conduct a noncombatant Evacuation Operation from afghanistan in support of the Department Of State in order to evacuate American Citizens and designated afghans with a directed Completion Date of 31 august. The key military tasks were to secure and defend the International Airport kabul, evacuate all embassy personnel, American Citizens that wanted to get out and evacuate other afghans as designated by the Department Of State and retrograde all of the u. S. Military. In short, the united States Military was tasked to conduct two highly complex missions simultaneously. Retrograde while in contact with the enemy and a Nonpermissive Environment paired we executed that mission in a highly dynamic, dangerous operating environment. In a wartorn country, conducted across nine countries, and 26 intermediate Staging Bases and Safe Havens. We deployed between 5,000 and 6,000 Military Personnel on the Ground. Some deployed based on our contingency planning. These elements came from the 82nd Airborne Division special forces, the marine corps, along with Navy And Air force personnel. Flying in support for Combat Aircraft from the navy, pilots and crews, and a carrying strike group. We flew 387 u. S. Military C17 And C31 40s, a total of 778 sorties evacuated in total, 124,334 people. Which included almost 6,000 American Citizens, third country nationals and afghans, designated by the united states paired we will continue to evacuate American Citizens under the leadership of the Department Of State. This mission has no transition from a Military Mission to a diplomatic mission. Evacuees flowed through the intermediate Staging Base Safe Havens and central command, and european command, for onward movements the united states. A third country where there home of origin would be for repatriation. Evacuees complete military and medical screening and vetting. Currently, there is approximately 20,000 evacuees in setting Staging Bases in five countries in central command. Another 23,000 in seven Staging Bases in europe. And 20,000 afghans that arrived at eight different Military Bases in the continental united states. This Mission Cost 11 marines, one soldier, and one Navy Corpsman their lives. And many others that were wounded in action, in addition to over 100 afghans killed in a horrific Terrorist Attack at Abbey Gate at the southeast corner of the airport. Those soldiers, marines, and navy officers gave their lives so that others could live free. They gave there tomorrows for the tomorrows of people they never knew. The 124,000, they never knew the 13 who died. They will never know the 22 who were wounded, or the thousands of dead and wounded that came before them. But they will now live in freedom because American Blood was shed on their behalf. Nearly two decades have passed since the horrible, dark September Day in our Nations History where 2,977 innocent lives were murdered. Since then, the men and women of the united States Military and our interagency partners have fought tirelessly to defeat terrorists in afghanistan and Around The World. Both at home and abroad. Their talent, their efforts, have carried despite day and night. In afghanistan, our Military Mission has now come to an end. We will learn from this experience as a military. How we got to this moment in afghanistan will be analyzed and studied for years to come. We, in the military, will approach this with humility, honesty, and candor. There are many operational and tactical and strategic lessons to be learned. 8,000 of us in uniform, our nation spent over 1 Trillion and most importantly, thousands of our servicemen and women give their last action of devotion. Thousands more wounded. And untold thousands of others suffer with the invisible wounds of war as we close this chapter in our Nations History. And all of those casualties alongside our allies and partners. We should never forget that 60,000 Afghan National Security Forces gave their lives in the conduct of this war. Our Counterterrorism Efforts in afghanistan in in the region, over 20 years, has protected the american people from Terrorist Attacks. The men, women, and children who were just evacuated will ultimately be the legacy that proved our sacrifice. It is now our mission to ensure that we continue our intelligence efforts, continue our Counterterrorism Efforts, continue our military efforts to protect the american people for the next 20 years. And we and the american military are committed to do just that. For those of us in uniform who served in afghanistan, for our families who suffered and sacrificed along our side, for those who have supported us, these have been incredibly emotional and trying days. And indeed, years. We are all conflicted. Feelings of Pain And Anger. Sorrow and sadness. Combined with pride and resilience. There are no words that i or the Secretary Or President or anyone else will ever do to bring the dead back. But we can always honor them. And one thing i am certain of, for any soldier, airmen, sailor, or marine, your service mattered and was not in vain. Thank you. I think we have enough time for a few questions. We will start with you, bob, bob. Thank you, mr. Secretary. Looking ahead in afghanistan, a question for both of you could given the experience of the past couple of weeks at the Kabul Airport where u. S. Commanders were coordinating or at least communicating daily with taliban commanders, to an effect that was at times a very helpful . At least on a couple of occasions, im wondering what you think these experiences say about the prospects for a united States Relationship with the taliban to include the possibility of any kind of coordination in Counterterrorism Operations against isisk in afghanistan . First of all, let me applaud the initiative of our commanders on the Ground who would stop at nothing to accomplish the mission that they were provided, evacuating as many American Citizens, third country nationals, and siv applicants as possible. We were working with the taliban on a very narrow set of issues. It was just that to get as many people out as we possibly could. I would not lead to i would not make any leaps of logic to broader issues. I would just say that i am immensely proud of what our troops have done to this point. It is hard to predict where this will go in the future with respect to the taliban. I would just say, bob, the secretary and i both served in afghanistan. Many of us did. You all did too paid we dont know what the future of the taliban is but i can tell you from personal experience that this is a ruthless group in the past. Whether or not they change remains to be seen. As far as our dealings with them at that airfield or in the past year or so, in war, you do what you must in order to reduce risk to the mission or force, not necessarily what you want to do. Reporter what about in coordination against isisk . It is possible. Going forward, i would not want to make any predictions. I would tell you we are going to do everything we can to make sure we remain focused on isisk, to understand that network, the time of our choosing in the future, we will hold them accountable for what they have done. Lets go to helene cooper. It reporter i have a question for you and then another one for General Milley. Perhaps its possible theres no exit from afghanistan that would not have been chaotic, given what we now know and for all the reasons that the administration has mentioned. But i would like to know now, in hindsight, is there one thing that you wish you or the pentagon would have done or could have done differently . Thanks, helene. I would just tell you that there hasnt been a single operation that ive ever been involved in where we didnt discover there was something we could have done better or more efficiently, or more effectively. I would also say that no operation is ever perfect. I will tell you that we will do what we always do, and that is to look at ourselves, do after action reviews, and we want to make sure that we learn every lesson that can be learned from this experience. I want to take the time to do it the right way. We will do it in the days ahead. I was just going to say i would say again, i am enormously proud of our men and women who worked hard to accomplish what they just accomplished. Which as i said earlier, it is historic and heroic. Reporter have you thrown out the book on the whole siv this administration had to deal with previous issues coming in, do you think we should have thrown the whole book out . The Siv Program is obviously not designed to accommodate what we just did in evacuating over 100,000 people. Perhaps this program should be looked at going forward. It is designed to be a slow process, Secretary Blinken and the State Department worked hard early on to shorten the timeline it takes to work your way through that process. But for the type of operation we just conducted, i think we need a different type of capability. Reporter General Milley, i wanted to ask you about sundays Drone Strike. Can you take us back to the warning . You had intel that isisk was plotting another attack, the military spots a vehicle we believe is full of carrying explosives, we take this car out with a Drone Strike and reports now say that we may have the ten civilians, as many as ten civilians may have been killed. Because of the urgent Threat Environment at the time, these preliminary assessments, is that the case that we may have rushed, relaxed, or waived altogether some of the normal checks and balances we do before a strike like that . A couple things, as we always do on all of these things, we initiate an investigation. We are analyzing the video and all of that. What do we know, what do we think, that sort of thing, at the time and i think its still valid we had very good intelligence that isisk was preparing a specific Type Vehicle at a specific type of location. We monitored that through various means. And all of the Engagement Criteria was being met, we went through the same level of vigor that we have done for years. And we went with the strike. We knew there were secondary explosions. Because there were secondary explosions, there is a reasonable conclusion to be made that there was explosives in that vehicle. We know from a variety of other means that at least one of those people that were killed was an isis facilitator. Were there others killed . Yes, with ar . We dont know and we will try to sort through all of that. We believe where there others killed . Yes, do we know who they are . We need to go through all of that. Reporter while the Messages Today from both of you, messages of Compassion And Gratitude are certainly understood, and the last several days, both of you at multiple times have issued these kinds of messages and statements. What i am curious about is, what do you see in the country with troops, with veterans, that makes you feel its a rare thing that makes you feel these messages must continue . As he put out to many in the last few days . General milley, i was very struck, you used the words Pain And Anger, you understood that it was out there. As a Combat Veteran yourself from afghanistan, can you help people understand that . Can you explain your views on that . This is the longest war in our history. There have been a couple of generations that have participated in this war. And as weve gone about, ive gotten input and reactions that are from all sides of this issue. As i said in my opening statement, that is to be expected. And of course i respect that. And i think we have to provide ourselves the time and space to adequately deal with everything that our veterans have been through. And we will work through those issues. The system will be there to support our veterans as we work through those issues. Again, we need to respect Each Others views and be supportive of Each Other. And one thing i would say, barb, people will process this differently. For those that think they need help, please seek help. We are there for you. As you heard me say a number of times before, Mental Health is health, period. This will take time for people to work their way through. There are varying opinions on each side of the aisle. That is to be expected and respected. So. Barb, are you asking where my Pain And Anger is from . Anyone that has served, i commanded troops. I was not born a fourstar general. Ive been shot at, blown up, everything else. My pain comes from the same place as these grieving families. This is tough stuff. War is hard. Brutal, vicious, unforgiving. Yes, we all have Pain And Anger. What we see, what has unfolded over the last 20 years and 20 days, that creates Pain And Anger. That comes from 242 of my soldiers killed in action during my time in afghanistan and iraq. Thats where my Pain And Anger comes from and we will continue our mission. [reporters chattering] sandra you heard reaction from the pentagon leaders, on the ending of the War In Afghanistan. Secretary austin said the evacuation in kabul was the largest in history, carrying out that mission was heroic, more than 124,000 civilians including 6,000 americans were evacuated amid grave and growing threats. Working under crushing pressure and i got plane after plane into the sky. He went on to say emotionally, of the 13 americans killed in action, many were too young to personally remember the 9 11 attacks. A big chunk of that time, we heard them acknowledging the heroic efforts of many. Not just in the most recent mission but during the 20 year war. John no question, sandra, that the u. S. Military did a tremendous job to get as many people out as it could but questions remain as to why it was not foreseen that the afghan Military Government would collapse as quickly as they did and how, as we have now learned, the State Department managed to leave behind some 500 members of their Media Service and families. And now, whats going to happen to them . Sandra and you heard joint Chiefs Chairman Milley saying this mission has now transitioned from a military one to a diplomatic one. U. S. Ambassador former u. S. Ambassador to the u. N. , Nikki Haley, joins us now. We are in the unique position of having you react with us in real time. Traveling to the gulf next week, Secretary Austin, to thank all of those involved in this mission. Wouldnt you think about what you just heard from both Austin And Milley what did you think about what you just heard from both Austin And Milley . I was really disturbed. All they talked about was how they closed this out, like they wanted a pat on the back. The book is not closed. We have Hundreds Of Thousands of americans still sitting there in afghanistan that need to get out. This book is not closed. It goes against the moral code of the military, you leave no american behind. Austin and milley know that. At every military Combat Veteran like my husband is still thinking about the americans left behind, the afghan allies that are behind. To imply that this book is closed, to say that you are going to a diplomatic operation is implying that you are going to a hostage situation. There is nothing comforting about that. I appreciate that general austin is going to the gulf right now, more than anything, we need to be making sure we rebuild these relationships with our allies that dont trust us now. They dont trust the decisions that we make. But dont forget the military Combat Veterans, all of this country, they are sitting there thinking, but what about those we left behind . They have to answer that. I dont know what that Press Conference was. For journalist to be asking Austin And Milley about their Pain And Anger its not about their Pain And Anger, its the Pain And Anger of the american people. We have a lot more questions that are not being answered. That goes to the conversation that supposedly took place between biden and ghani. For biden to sit there and ask ghani to change the perception about what was happening . You dont go asking another leader to change perception. If you go and say okay, something is wrong. We need to change direction. This is not going The Way we want it to go. That was a warning sign. Because he was worried about the political optics, he is asking foreign leader to fake it as opposed to changing direction and doing things that would save more lives. The whole thing is a bit disturbing. I dont get it. John you can change the perception is much as you want but it does not change the reality on the Ground. I wanted to ask you, because you used to work with the State Department, about these Radio Liberty workers who were left behind. I mean, they were ones who were putting it out there, that the u. S. And Nato Ally word against the taliban, they are now im sure fearing for their lives as to what might happen. What are your thoughts about this many people who were working on behalf of the u. S. Government, being left behind . What might happen to them, should the taliban discover who they are and where they are living . This is antiamerican. You dont go and forget people just because you want a door to be closed. The war is not over just because the last plane left. There are people there that saved lives, gave us information, helpful at a time that we needed it. You cant forget about them. Its not just the message you are sending to americans around this country, its the message you are sending to countries Around The World. I was at the united nations, the one thing that made us strong with the fact that we valued life above everything else, why every country, whether they liked us or not, saw us as the moral authority. Weve completely lost that at this point. Something has to be done to selfcorrect this. What is happening now is unacceptable. We need answers, transparency. But more than anything, we have some lives to save. This is not over. They are stuck there and we all know what the taliban will do to them. If any negative word was said about the taliban and they find them, this is a brutal, Jihadist Group that cannot be negotiated with or trusted. We need to start acting like that. Sandra Chairman Milley said at the end that there will be of the review of this withdrawal, how we got to this point, it will be studied and analyzed for years to come. Ambassador Nikki Haley, we appreciate you hanging on with us during that Press Conference. John lets bring in retired fourstar general jack keane, chairman of the Institute For The Study Of War and a Fox News senior strategic analyst. It seems, general, the both the white House And Pentagon are anxiously trying to put a quota on the afghanistan war. That there will be continued efforts to get those that were left behind, to get them out. The general message from this administration seems to be, time to move on. No doubt about that. I certainly appreciate the Secretary And Chairman dealing with the central issue of 20 years of war and the sacrifices that were made in those 20 years, and how we were able to accomplish that mission of rejecting america. I commend them, certainly, for doing that. We do know that this is a difficult time, given how this war has ended. Having a Platoon And Company commander, having been won in 1975, with the vietnamese that was a painful time for many of us. Many left the military over the disillusionment of it. I am certainly backing the operation they were asked to do, almost like an Emergency Retreat that had to be conducted, given the collapse of the afghan government and its military. That job was absolutely amazing, what they were able to do. But the central thing here, it really isnt over. Its going to be very difficult to turn the page. And why is that . We got an outcome that nobody wanted. The outcome is a Terrorist Organization that enabled 9 11 and providing a platform for the Al Qaeda to plan, prepare, and execute the 9 11 attack, has now taken over afghanistan. And Al Qaeda in 15 provinces, and isisk, both expanding as a result of the taliban releasing their teammates out of their prisons, the threat is not over. Therefore, its not over for the united states and our allies either. I would have liked a little more explanation on that, focusing on the threat that is there. And also, what is going to be required going forward to maintain the Superiority And Production of the united states, given the fact that weve given up seven Military Bases and our cia listening post, whose focus was on two things, one, make sure the taliban does not take over, and two, dont give rise to isis or Al Qaeda in terms of their ability to use a platform to attack us. That is all gone. How are we going to deal with that . Yes, over the horizon. Its a very misleading term. Sandra thats used often by this administration as we purred in recent hours and days. The other places where Al Qaeda or isis has aspirations to attack the united states, theyve been mentioned before. There are four of them. Iraq, syria, iran, and we are going to put troops on the Ground in risk their lives because they have aspirations to attack the united states . The other place is yemen. We arent there on the Ground but we are close by at a classified base. If not, over the horizon. How are we going to be able to track the growth of Al Qaeda and isis . Its going to happen right before our eyes. Much less all the other terrorists that want to come to the new mecca of terrorism given the fact that a Terrorist Organization has now become a nationstate. Thats going to draw people to it for sure. Thank god its a landlocked country, itll be tougher to get there as opposed to what happened with syria and isis. Sandra and the loss of our intelligencegathering capabilities in that country after thats withdrawal. General jack keane, always good to have you. Thank you, sir. Join us now is national correspondent, jennifer griffin. General milley said its unclear if the taliban will change from what he called the ruthless organization it is into something else. Jennifer, your thoughts . Sandra, it was frustrating sitting in that briefing. The decision was taken to have the defense Secretary And Chairman take just three questions. My question at the end was how can you assure the american people, given the threat that isisk and Al Qaeda pose and the fact that they still remain in afghanistan, how can you assure americans that american troops will have to go back into afghanistan . The commander that oversaw the withdrawal from iraq in 2011 and when isis grew over those three years, american troops were sent back. Its a very fair question and the fact they did not take very many questions is an admission that they know theres a lot of very, very difficult questions right now that they dont really want to answer. The long statements at the beginning were very heartfelt, emotional, fearing an admission that nobody feels good about how the last 20 years of War In Afghanistan have gone. Its a strong admission from the top leaders at the pentagon. But they also said that they will spend time looking at the tactical mistakes made, and strategic mistakes made over the last 20 years. All of those mistakes were not just made in the last few months. But a very sober, somber briefing. But not a lot of answers to our questions because we were not called upon. The most newsworthy moment of the briefing was one General Milley and defense Secretary Austin were asked about the relationship to the taliban. Not only during the last 17 days in which they had to rely on them for security at the perimeter of the airport as well as work with them closely to try and evacuate this 124,000 people, that was a very unorthodox relationship given the last 20 years of war. The question was, will you work with them in the future, especially if you have to target isisk, knowing the intelligence networks have been rolled up in the country . There was a moment where General Milley was asked that and he said possibly, even after saying what a ruthless, terrible group the taliban are and have been. There was no happy talk about the idea that the taliban had changed their strikes. But a sober admission that they may have to rely on them if they want to target isisk in the future. John they are in charge of the country, no question about that. Jennifer griffin. I want to switch gears for another bit of Breaking News, very disturbing. The Sheriffs Office in North Carolina, the city of winstonsalem police confirming theres been a shooting at a High School in winstonsalem, North Carolina. What do we know . It happened just after Noon East Coast time. Far more questions than answers. We know according to local reporters that it was the School Resource Officer who called dispatch saying somebody has been shot. That led to a massive and immediate response at the High School. Dozens upon dozens of first responders and Police Officers flooded into the building where they could. Crime Scene Tape has been set up. According to the Sheriffs Department, who i spoke with, they are now in the process of trying to guarantee the safety of all students and they are actively evacuating the students from the High School and taking them to a nearby ymca where they are already notified their parents have been notified to pick them up there after school. According to that Resource Officer, one person has been shot. We dont know, was it a Student Or Faculty member . Staff member . We just dont have answers yet. It is still all unfolding. The fact that the Sheriffs Department and local Police Department are taking students out of the High School and taking them to a safer place really implies that there is no active shooter still because based on all of the protocols established nationwide on school shootings, after columbine, the first Thing Law Enforcement does is neutralize the shooter before anything else. A lot of questions. We dont know whether it was one or more armed students running around, presuming they are students. A lot of questions and still very few answers here but the High School, everyone has advised dont even go near it, Mount Tabor High School. Sandra any sort of briefing or live News Conference yet . Too soon to say for that. But there will certainly be one. I spoke with the public Information Officer and she told me theres a Media Liaison on the scene. Sometime in the next couple of hours, for certain, we would expect to have some sort of briefing to update everybody on what just happened this afternoon, how many people were actually shot, and potentially who is the shooter . John apparently the city of winstonsalem police and the winstonsalem Police Department have secured the campus, that might speak to what you said about taking students out, there might not be an ongoing threat. The one Fox News contributor, welcome, weve covered far too many of these. To think that school is just underway and most of the country, some days and weeks and, at this point, ted, at this stage of what we know and how the detectives will be tracking down exactly what happened, take us through it. They have now secured the scene, that High School there. Now they are trying to get parents and students together by taking the students to a certain location. But the Winstonsalem Newspaper is reporting that they have one suspect in mind that they are looking at. I will not name the suspect. He was named in the article, the Winstonsalem Journal Newspaper. It is allegedly a 15yearold that they are looking for that may very well have been involved in this shooting or at the High School. John we understand this High School has a Student Population of about 1500, ted. It is not far from wake forest university, in the northwest section of the city. The fact that the police have said theyve secured The School and are moving students and buses off of the compound, i imagine that would speak to the idea that there is perhaps no imminent threat but they are trying to preserve whatever Crime Scene might be there and not have hundreds of School Students running over the area . Absolutely right. Dad, unfortunately, that school is now Crime Scene. They are trying to preserve the Crime Scene itself. If, in fact, the Winstonsalem Journal Newspaper says the threat is no longer on the campus, theyve secured that seam. You can see Law Enforcement officers are standing down. Certainly meaning they feel The School itself is secure of the actual shooter. Sandra ted, its so important to tell everybody that the local ymca, it has been closed down so the Parking Lot can be used as a Staging Area for local Law Enforcement. As you can imagine, there are a lot of really concerned parents that want to be reunited with their kids. Students at that High School, those High School students are being taken by bus to the ymca so they can meet up with their parents and guardians. That is normally standard procedure. Schools all over the country now have put in place a system of what to do when there are these active shooters, that are shooting at these various schools. For the most part, most of these kids have cell phones. So they are in touch with their parents. John ted, i went to the winstonsalem journal, we will continue to not name the shooter, if anyone is on the lookout, he had ripped jeans and black sneakers. There were also some reports coming to us over Social Media that the suspect may have run Into The Woods to try to get away from the scene. Somebody from our Fox Affiliate was reporting there. It might be worth listening in, can we do that . Apparently, she just wrapped that report. Mount tabor started school on august 23rd. Sandra one person has been shot, and a High School in winstonsalem, North Carolina. They had gone into lockdown but the most recent update is that students at that school, they are busing them out trying to meet them up with their parents. A lot, we still do not know at this moment but police are on the scene. We just saw a moment ago. John, having covered so many of these unfortunately in recent years, its a process. The information provided to the public is also a process. You dont want to do that until, obviously, they are certain who this is. And have that person in custody. You can see these are live pictures, winstonsalem, North Carolina. Right before 2 00 on the east coast. This call came in to the winstonsalem Police Department about an hour ago that there had been a shooting at Mount Tabor High School. John for any parents might be wondering about what to do with their children, they are busing them over from Mount Tabor High School to the robin family ymca. It will probably take some time to get all of the students over there because they are doing it in shifts. Patience is something that they will have to watch for Credit Sandra there is an update from the city of winstonsalem Police Department. At 1955 north peace haven, we will be back with more updates in a moment. Ucash. Ur Home Equito Newday usa lets you borrow 100 of your Homes Value and take out 50,000 or more for Security Today or retirement tomorrow. 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And if youre an active or retired federal employee you may qualify to get eargo at no cost to you. Your Shipping Manager left to find themself. leaving you lost. You need to hire. I need indeed. Indeed you do. Indeed instant match instantly delivers quality candidates matching your job description. Visit indeed. Com Hire Usaa is made for the safe pilots. Matching your job description. For mac. Who can come to a stop with barely a bobble. Lucia. Who announces her intentions even if No Ones there. And sgt moore. Who leaves room for her room. With usaa safepilot, when you drive safe. You can save up to 30 on your auto insurance. Get a quote and start saving. Usaa. What youre made of, were made for. John Fox News alert. At the top of the very busy hour, police in North Carolina confirming theres been a shooting at Mount Tabor High School in winstonsalem. The school is now on lockdown. One student has been injured in The School is secure but so far, no reports of anyone being killed. Hi, again, welcome to the second hour of america reports. Sandra john, thanks, i am Sandra Smith. We are told by police on the Ground that the scene as safe and they are actively seeking the suspect. No information on any other Shooting Or Injury at this time. We are waiting for an update from police on the Ground. He will bring that to you when we get it just ahead. Other Breaking News at this hour. Reuters releasing excerpts from President Bidens Phone Call, his final Phone Call with thenPresident Of Afghanistan, ghani. The Reuters Transcript revealing that President Biden stressed the need to change the perception that the taliban winning whether it was true or not. John remember, President Biden had said that nobody could have known that the Afghan Army would have collapsed as quickly as it did. This reported call is raising questions. Did President Biden know how dire the situation was despite what he was insisting in public . Did he try to push a false narrative even further by asking another president to color the truth about what was really going on . The one all big and important questions. We expect to hear from the president and his Press Secretary this hour we are told. The first to jackie harner. Hi, jackie. Hi, sandra. According to the reuters report, President Biden at least acknowledged that it appeared to be coming, telling the afghan president , i need not tell you the perception Around The World and in parts of afghanistan the things are not going well in terms of the fight against the taliban. Theres a need whether its true or not to project a different picture. Ghani told biden that he was facing a fullscale invasion. 15,000 international terrorists, according to the report but denied the allegations at the time of publishing. Biden suggested that Ghani Project Strength and put a warrior in front of the effort. And touting the u. S. Funding and training of the afghan military but ghani told biden that his government was facing a fullscale invasion. Yesterday in his remarks, President Biden said the Taliban Takeover was a surprise. That assumption, that the afghan government would be able to hold on for a period of time beyond Military Drawdown turned out not to be accurate. We were ready when they come of the people of afghanistan watched their Government Collapse and the president flee with corruption and malfeasance. Its worth recalling that one of the final intelligence warnings through the State Department cable, it was said that the Taliban Takeover was likely soon after the military withdrawal. Which, by The Way, was 95 complete by july 26th. That is according to central command. John and sandra. Sandra jacqui heinrich, thank you. Speak to charlie, lets get you to talk about this Phone Call between john charlie, lets get you to talk about this Phone Call between President Biden and thenpresident ghani. Things are not going well against the fight with the taliban. There is a need whether it is true or not, there is a need to project a different picture. Shades of vietnam, charlie. No kidding. And shades of the Pentagon Papers that came out ten years ago revealing just what a disaster the effort in afghanistan was back then. Honestly, lets remember it wasnt that long ago that the president had been impeached over far less than this. We bring it back domestically in terms of the politics here in the united states, this is one of the things that puts enormous pressure on democrats right now. My goodness, if republicans were in control of either chamber of congress, we are talking about a very fruitful Ground for devastating, devastating hearings into this whole thing. That particular Phone Call would be certainly one of the good places to start. Its absolutely devastating to think the president called up the President Of Afghanistan to put pressure on him to shade the truth, to basically lie about things in order to help him politically on the domestic front. And then you add on top of that all of the miscalculations, the devastating consequences of the miscalculations that literally led to the deaths of united states troops in afghanistan. This is not going away. Joe biden might try to turn his back and walk away from Press Conferences and say im not taking any more questions about this, maybe he doesnt, but the questions are going to be asked and we will be dealing with this for years to come. John you can imagine that if this transcript came out in a recent administration, people like Adam Schiff might be running to the microphone as quickly as they could. Listen to what President Biden thought about it in his Speech Yesterday in terms of the belief that the afghan Military Government would have lasted longer than it did. The assumption was that more than 300,000 Afghan National Security Forces that we had trained over the past two decades and equipped would be a strong adversary in their Civil War with the taliban. John he said that knowing he had this conversation a couple months ago with ghani saying look, its not looking good for you guys. If you listen to that clip where he drops in the phrase Civil War, for years, we didnt talk about a civil War In Afghanistan but over the last couple weeks, we see the administration dropping this word, Civil War. A Civil War within the country of afghanistan, between warring factions in afghanistan as if the united states and nato allies are just sort of a bystander, suddenly. My goodness, weve been there for 20 years, weve been the most powerful force in afghanistan for 20 years. This notion that they are trying to suddenly distance themselves for biden to come off as an outsider, to be against afghanistan, thats not true. He voted to go into afghanistan, he was part of the Central Committee for years, Theres Nobody in washington that has a broader, deeper level of experience over Foreign Policy in washington. He was picked to be Vice President by Barack Obama because of his Foreign Policy experience. And he helped the president for eight years oversee afghanistan. And for him to throw up his hands and say oh, ive never been in favor of any of this . John, we see a lot of lying in washington. You and i have chronicled the best of the liars in washington over the years. Ive got to tell you, ive never seen anything like this. This is just the most astonishing dishonest, calloused, and total utter disregard for the facts, the lives for the people he sent into Harms Way. And the delusional nature after the fact the claim that it was somehow a success . I have no words. I dont think weve seen anything like this. John less than 12 hours after it was proclaimed a success, we learned that there are 500 people who worked for the u. S. Agency for global media and their families who are stuck in afghanistan. Who knows how we are going to get them out. Charlie hurt, always good to talk to you. Sandra Breaking News in North Carolina. That weve been bringing to you for the past 20 minutes or so, a school shooting, a High School involved shooting, live in our southeast newsroom, phil, whats the very latest . We now know that a shot was fired at that High School. Absolutely. Confirming there definitely was a shooting today, just around noon, at the Mount Tabor High School in winstonsalem, North Carolina. According to local reporters, the initial call came from The Schools Resource Officer who called dispatch and said somebody had been shot. We dont know whether that somebody was a student, teacher, or Staff Member. The winstonsalem journal, the local newspaper has some very good reporting on the Ground. Multiple shots fired at The School and witnesses described the shooter as wearing a black jacket, yellow tshirt, ripped blue jeans, and black sneakers. A massive Law Enforcement presence is now on and around the Mount Tabor High School. Dozens upon dozens of sheriff deputies, Police Officers, as well as first responders. There are nearby woods. Everything is on the table as to the methods of apprehending this suspect. That the person flee Into The Woods on foot did the person flee Into The Woods on foot . Theyre setting up media briefing center, a Staging Center nearby The School at a shopping mall. We hope for an update on what investigators know. There are so many unanswered questions about what could happen this hour, one would expect definitely by this afternoon. The fact that all of these High School students were deemed and declared safe by the Sheriffs Department and that they were being evacuated from the High School to a nearby Staging Area where their parents had been told to go get their kids, now that the second half of the School Day was essentially canceled because of the shooting, all of that implies there was not an active shooter inside The School, roaming the hallways or classrooms with a loaded gun. We learned with protocols that changed after columbine, the Law Enforcement that comes to a shooting at The School, the first thing is you identify the shooter and then you neutralize that shooter and then you deal with getting kids out to a safer place. That makes it seem that perhaps the Shooter Shot at The School, perhaps the students were outside on Lunch Break and they possibly hit one of the students or Staff Member that may have been out there as well and fled without going into The School. A lot of questions, like i said, more than answers. We will hopefully find out some soon in the upcoming minutes, if not the next hour. Sandra Phil Keating will be tracking it for us. We will continue to give our viewers updates for this. John, police will hold some sort of News Conference to give us the very latest from the Ground. John some of the photos from some of the local media in the winstonsalem area, there was a massive Police Response to the report of shots being fired. Dozens of Police Cars it seems. Police walking around in Body Armor and helmets, carrying long rifles as well. They were out there with a full response to try to get at this situation. It appears as though, other than one student being injured, everybody else there is safe. Thank God Nobody is dead at this point. As phil was suggesting, thank god the shooter never got into The School. Sandra police on the scene are not there to just secure The School but other schools, finding the suspect involved, getting the parents back with their kids, the media Staging Area. Hopefully we get another update from the Ground. All of those other students we are told are safe and secure at this time. That is some good news we can bring you at this point in the hour. John just to put the button on the suit, theyve been changing the areas where the parents could meet up with their students. They should report to the harris teeter, about a mile away from the High School. We will continue to follow the situation in North Carolina and the White House, President Biden is now meeting with the president of ukraine, you remember volodymyr zelensky. Some teachers are being told not to call the 9 11 hijackers terrorists. Sandra and Brian Kilmeade is here on the Sensitivity Training surrounding september 11th. 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Call 1800miracle right now and experience a better life. In 2016, i was working at the Amazon Warehouse when my brother passed away. And a couple of years later, my mother passed away. After taking care of them, i knew that i really wanted to become a nurse. Amazon helped me with training and tuition. Today, im a medical assistant and im studying to become a registered nurse. In filipino youll always be in my heart. Introducing xfinity rewards. Our very own way of thanking you just for being with us. Enjoy rewards like Movie Night specials. Xfinity mobile benefits. And exclusive experiences, like the chance to win tickets to see watch what happens live. Hey its me. The longer youve been with us. The more rewards you can get. Like sharpening your Cooking Skills with a top chef. Join for free on the Xfinity App and watch all the rewards float in. Our thanks. Your rewards. John the search continues for five sailors after a Navy Helicopter crashed off the coast of san diego. The chopper went down Yesterday Afternoon while conducting routine Flight Operations off of the Aircraft Carrier Uss lincoln. Naval officials say marines have rescued one person in stable condition and the incident injured five additional sailors who were On Board the lincoln at the time. Sandra . Sandra thank you, john. Department of education coming under fire for a Sensitivity Training video that urges teachers to reject American Exceptionalism in lessons about september 11th. Culturally responsive lessons that dont cause harm, such as the hijackers extremists, not terrorists. Heres a portion of that video. What is understood as American Exceptionalism, the understanding that america is a land at the top of the beautiful mountain and all other countries, nations, and people are less than america. We are not going to reproduce notions that American History and experiences are more significant than the experiences or histories of other people. Sandra in that video, the Virginia Department of education played this video, by The Way, fox and friends cohost, Brian Kilmeade, already talking to you. I havent introduced you. Rejecting American Exceptionalism, brian. Notions that american experiences arent more significant . Its because Shes Professor at the university of the american university. She says this isnt The View of everyone, just mine. They talk about 9 11 and the fact is, if you say america is exceptional, thats why we are being targeted and it messes with our story line. Especially in virginia, james monroe, james madison, thomas jefferson, founding fathers, this other guy named george washington, they were under the belief that america was pretty exceptional. But now the Virginia Department of education are concerned that 9 11, antimuslim behavior coming up, they want everyone to know that we want to explain this without any bias. Dont say terrorists, say extremists. No, they were terrorists and extremists. People are abusing muslims or that follow the muslim faith, islam, thats a huge problem. Al qaeda was the group that wanted to attack us. How do you tell that story and not tell the impetus behind that story, of 9 11 . Theres no reason to take both sides on this. A group of people going to work, some are going to the pentagon, some on flight 93, they were crashed into an open field. Not on purpose, but because terrorists crashed a plane into the towers and pentagon. Why is that hard to explain . Why are we rationalizing this . Sandra why cant the Department Of Education told the facts, the history as we approach the 20th Anniversary of those horrific attacks . The Executive Director said the webinar was part of a series to help teachers affirm welcoming classrooms to provide support to muslim students who may be subject to bullying around the around the anniversary of 9 11. As stated in the presentation, the speaker made it clear that the statements are not to be attributed to the Department Of Education in virginia but they played the video. Thats the point. They are distancing themselves while saying we played the video but her views dont represent hours. We asked her for a statement and she pointed us to this web site. Students can learn better when educators foster a sense of emotional safety and belonging. Teachers should pay attention to the conversations between students to ensure that they are not repeating harmful words and actions the target muslims. Do think nazis get a bad rap or where they terrorists, extremists that killed millions of jews . Are we worried about sunni islamic, extremists . Blasting the Presentation And Hijacking history, sanitizing the truth of 9 11, and one parent says if you are targeting muslims in this country because of the hijackers, thats horrendous, it should never be accepted but did not make an excuse for 19 hijackers especially with the series of events weve been covering. Sandra you just quoted as as you quoted a parent offensive, manipulative, and dangerous to present we are woke washing the 9 11 attacks. Yes, i dont agree should do it. Especially with the 20th Anniversary, no thank you. American exceptionalism . Why do people find a way to take a shot at American Exceptionalism whenever they get the chance . Let try to take us down off our high horse . I dont think we need an outside force. Sandra lets bring in John Roberts John Roberts. John they are terrorist. They are terrorist, they crashed into the towers, pentagon, and took down flight 93. In terms of American Exceptionalism, i moved to this country from canada. I have never seen exceptionalism as we are better than you, just that we are an exceptional country with exceptional backGrounds. Not perfect but when people are hanging off wheels and a chance to get here and at the southern border for a chance to get here, to legally become an american citizen, in line, we arent begging them, they want to be here. You will have to book me again, i can only do this Sandra Brian and i are with Larry Kudlow at the top of the hour. [laughs] john i told brian when i was on the radio with him that he would be the highlight of our day and i was not wrong. Sorry, general jack keane. John thanks, brian. The surge in covert cases is slowing as some signs suggest that the Delta Variant may be peaking in the united states. Is that really the case . Is that good news . Dr. Nicole saphier is on deck to weighin. Newdays low Rate Refi offers their lowest rate in history. Two and a quarter percent. Just 2. 48 apr. 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Rising covid cases have gotten much slower. Have we finally reached the peak of the Delta Variant . Dr. Nicole saphier, we want to put up a graphic so people can see the sharp rise in covid cases because of the Delta Variant. Then it begins to level off just a bit. The question, doctor, has the Delta Surge peaked and will we begin to see Cases Decline . John, as you mentioned, the daily new cases for the united states, while they are leveling off and increasing slightly, it certainly not the same rate as they have been since the beginning of july. This virus has tended to come in cyclical ways. It takes a couple of months to rise, peter off, and then start declining. There are multiple factors as to why we have these rises in cases. In the southwest, Sun Belt area, there are lower Vaccination Rates, kids often go Back To School earlier, this contributed to a rise in cases, deaths didnt rise but they remained less than the thousands of deaths a day in the winter surge. I do think that while we will see declining cases along these areas, we may see a slight uptick as kids start to head Back To School in the midwest and northeast. But they are much higher Vaccination Rates in these areas. The uncoupling of severe disease with these cases is much more pronounced. I dont expect to see the Hospital System Strain The Way we saw the Sun Belt areas. Speak to what weve seen in other countries that have been hardhit by the Delta Variant, the u. K. , india, germany, they spike quickly. Do you expect that is what we will see here . I do think we will see overall as a country that our numbers will precipitously go down. Will we see a rise as we head into the winter months and people start congregating indoors . Absolutely. Thankfully by that point, when you combine the protectiveness of natural immunity with vaccine immunity, and maybe people getting booster doses, we wont be seeing the same severe disease, hospitalization, and deaths as we had seen previously. John i want to ask you about boosters in just a second. Cases in florida, arkansas, alabama, mississippi, and missouri that were hit very hard are beginning to go down. We see an increase of people getting vaccinated. The number of vaccinations increasing, number of covid cases beginning to decline. When the two numbers meet on those graphs, are we potentially in a place where we could think about getting back to normal again . What is that, back to normal . What does that look like anymore . John dont spoil it. [laughs] people are wearing masks for things we would never have worn masks for previously. Going forward, if you are vaccinated and those around you are vaccinated, have confidence that you are doing all that you can to protect yourself, your family, your friends, and i think going into these winter holidays, we will see a rise in cases but i think we will get to a much more semblance of normalcy than last winter. John with this conflict with the fda with topdown political pressure, approving boosters without fully hearing from the scientists or fda that the fda has contracted to give advice, what do you know about that . Conflict is a nice way of putting it. Two advisors have stepped down after decades long careers. They are frustrated by the cdc and White House intervening and putting pressure on them, specifically regarding the boosters for the White House came forward saying boosters may be available by early september. This was out before the fda made official commentary on it. We need to have separate entities so there is not political pressure and we are doing what we can to ensure the Safety And Efficacy of everything. Right now, the data for boosters in the general population, it is not there. We can show Lab Tests that it can increase the Antibody Number but whether it improves critical outcomes . The data is not there and the fda needs that data before they can authorize it. John we always appreciate your expertise. There you have it, sandra. Looks like there is a political push to get boosters out there that is not yet based on hard evidence from the fda scientists. Sandra people are at the point where they want to see the science behind all of these decisions because everyone has gone through so much with this, right, john . John it is the double standard popping up again. Sandra one states new abortion restrictions could be the toughest in the nation and they could set the stage for a supreme Court Battle that could potentially overturn roe v. Wade. Rful longlasting relief with a revolutionary, rollerball design. Because with the right pain reliever. Life opens up. Aleve it, and see whats possible. I dont just play someone brainy on tv im an actual neuroscientist. And i love the science behind Neuriva Plus. Unlike ordinary memory supplements, Neuriva Plus fuels six key indicators of Brain Performance. More Brain Performance . Yes, please neuriva. 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Homelessness, housing, taxes, water, electricity, crime, wildfires. [sfx bear roar] gavin, youve failed. We have to immediately cut taxes twentyfive percent. Fix housing and homelessness. And make life in california affordable again. Im a businessman, the only cpa running. Shouldnt we choose ability this time . Do you think John Cox will be a better governor than Gavin Newsom . [sfx bear roar] does a Bear Sh T In The Woods . John according to authorities, local leaders say the Louisiana Barrier Island of Grand Isle is completely uninhabitable and buried under E Ida barreled in, it took out every building in the city, and we just got word that the president is set to go to louisiana to assess the Damage And Recovery efforts there. Sandra, that is where the teeth of the storm came right in, it is a barrier island. Theres a reason why they call it a barrier island. This one, what a wallop. Sandra it is a culture you and i have talked about this quite a bit they rebuild and they go back. Its a very special tradition, a thick area of louisiana, almost always battered by hurricanes that hit the louisiana coast. Most of the houses are on stilts. Its fun when its in good times and it is very dangerous when storms like this approach. At this point, there is nowhere to go. John i was telling you about the Shrimp King of Grand Isle, his house is built like a fortress. I saw an aerial shot that it is okay. The latest on folks trying to recover, hey, jeff. This town took a direct hit as hurricanE Ida came off the gulf. Some of these home survived several feet of Storm Surge but the winds were too much. This home was knocked off its foundation and tossed about 50 feet. Boats are flipped over. Homes that lost their roofs. Its the same story, with these lowline communities across the gulf. Whether it is in Grand Isle or golden meadow, home after home either leveled or with so much damage, it is likely a total loss. Many of these folks didnt get help for days because the roads were covered up with debris, No One could get out to help them. Most help, if any, has come in the form of neighbors helping Each Other out. One man describe what life is like down here right now. Coming to a third world country. No water, gas, lights. Obviously, you have to fix north before it can come south. These people are at the end of the line when it comes to getting electricity back. Its been said that they are not going anywhere, they are strong and they will build back again. John want a lot of destruction. We have a white House Briefing coming up, sandra. Sandra lets dip in. Secretary Psaki Parts of louisiana could take weeks for crews to assess, the president spoke with ceos but the largest companies in the gulf for providing resources wherever they are needed. As part of the outcome of the federal government is sharing aerial and Satellite Imagery so equipment can get access to downed wires and permitting for rerunning of Transmission Cables across the Mississippi River and for standing up transmission towers. Federal personnel from the Army Corps of engineers and across governments are assisting on the Ground. 25,000 linemen. Lack of Power And Damage to the Health Care facilities in louisiana remains a significant problem. We are prioritizing the deployment of generators to locations most in need and about 1800 patients as of today have been evacuated from Health Care facilities with the help of additional ambulances that were prestaged by fema. Over the course of the last couple days, the fcc is working directly with wireless carriers and has deployed staff to louisiana to deploy recovery efforts. We know its been incredibly difficult and continues to be for many people that have had to evacuate because of the storm and we continue to encourage individuals to apply for emergency assistance. There is already open on time, 500 payment for individuals on friday, the president Will Travel To new orleans, louisiana, and meet with state and local leaders from impacted communities. We are finalizing the details of this trip but more info will become available, which we will share with all of you. We also want to note that today, the White House including hud are announcing steps that will create, reserve, and sell additional homes over the next three years with an emphasis on lower and middle ends of the market. These Steps Leverage existing authorities and dedicate additional resources to affordable housing, specifically the supply of financing available through hud, treasury, and housing production, financing with banks, support for Lowincome Housing Tax credits, and access to Capital Magnets Funds and along with existing policies will enable more americans to purchase homes. Last item, sorry, theres a lot going on today. The white House Treasury announced the launch of a new friendly, bilingual child tax credit, a tool that is mobile friendly and available in spanish to make it even easier for more americans who do not regularly file taxes to claim their child tax credit. As you know, this has been an ongoing effort of this white House And Administration to reach every single person we can who is eligible even if they are nonfilers. We will link this new tool through childtaxcredit. Gov. We want to help more families this tax season. We want a multilingual and friendly Government Signup Tool and thats a process that is underway. That is all i have the highlight for you this morning or this afternoon. Go ahead, kick us off. Reporter in louisiana, 10 of hospitalized patients are vaccinated. Is it still accurate to call covid a pandemic of the unvaccinated . At this stage . Secretary psaki we continue to track data closely through the cdc and our medical Health Care experts say the vast majority of those hospitalized, the vast majority are individuals who have not been vaccinated. That has not been changed. And any medical expert, whether it is dr. Fauci, collins, vaccination is effective and prevents serious hospitalization, disease, and death. That has not changed our messaging. Reporter how does the Administration Plan to protect roe vs. Wade . Secretary psaki We Put Out a statement from the president this morning but let me reiterate some key points and i will of course answer your question. The president said this morning that this extreme Texas Law blatantly violates the right established under roe v. Wade and upheld as precedent for over half a century. It will significantly impair Womens Access to the health that they need. This might even include family members, Health Care workers, friends, staff at Health Care clinic, or no connection to the individual come of this further isolates individuals facing this tough choice. I would note for those that didnt see, people that report these private citizens could get up to 10,000 for reporting somebody who is seeking an abortion. Our focus in the president s focus is to reiterate our deep commitment to the constitutional right established by roe v. Wade nearly five decades ago and to continue to call for something the president talked about on the campaign trail, the Vice President talked about on the campaign trail, and this emphasizes the need to move further on that precedent. Reporter Resident Biden has pledged to follow the science with covid but some experts have expressed concern to make boosters widely available in early september would be premature. Some medical Health Experts have not been able to weigh in. What can you tell people who are concerned that the desire to get ahead of the virus might mean getting out in front of the science instead . Secretary psaki let me reiterate some things for anyone is concerned. The head of the cdc, the fda commissioner, the nih director, and the director dr. Fauci, they made a clinical judgment that boosters would be needed and announced a plan to begin them in September Subject of course to the Fda And Cdc processes to continue. We also know there needs to be a plan in place to implement these Booster Shots around the country. I will tell you that this was a recommendation made by our nations leading Health Experts based on mounds and mounds of data. There will be a final piece of this process that will be seen through but our Responsibility And Objective is to save more lives, protect more people, and as soon as the data and the science made clear that boosters can do that, we want to put that information out to the public. Reporter for that rollout, is that a Firm Date . Secretary psaki it is based on and subject to the final Cdc And Fda processes, yes. Reporter a call in july between President Biden and former President Of Afghanistan ghani, was the president aware that the taliban would take over and wear their plans to project that afghan forces were still in control . Is that accurate . Can you tell us more about that . Secretary psaki i will not get into private, diplomatic conversations were leaked transcripts of Phone Calls but what i can reiterate is that No One anticipated the vast majority there may have been individuals in agencies i do want to eliminate that option but our national security teams, No One in congress, or out in the public anticipated that the taliban will be able to take over the country as quickly as they did. Or that the Afghan National Security Forces would fold as quickly as they did. Given the content of the reporting is consistent with what weve said many times publicly. I will note something the president said in his Press Conference around the same time of this report a Phone Call. The afghan Government And Leadership has to come together. They clearly have the capacity to sustain the government in place. The question is, will they generate the kind of cohesion to do it . With the president conveyed publicly and certainly privately as well as repeatedly to afghan leaders, as did our national security officials, its important that the leaders in afghanistan do exactly that. Lead. So the country they are ready to continue the fight against the taliban. That they have the will for the Afghan National Security Forces to continue that fight even as the u. S. Forces leave. Reporter is there some sort of perception that even the President Of Afghanistan did not have that confidence in the afghan forces . Was that why he was pushing ghani to be more stern and confident . Secretary psaki the president has consistently conveyed i just noted an example publicly, but the afghan leadership at the time needed to do exactly that. Lead. Come together in a cohesive manner, be united. Show the afghan people they were going to fight and lead through this transition even as u. S. Forces left. Thats entirely consistent with what he said publicly throughout. Reporter one question on afghanistan and on covid as well. Two colleagues of mine have determined that 13,000 afghan refugees are in u. S. Installations as of tuesday while another 40,000 remain on bases overseas. Im curious, how many of those afghan evacuees have other countries committed to resettling and what is the status of those ongoing conversations and will the u. S. Resettle all of those 40,000 here in the united states . Secretary psaki not to refute the reporting of your colleagues but just to note, the secretary of defense just confirmed its about 20,000 who have come into the united states, at a briefing earlier this afternoon. There is capacity and we are working towards capacity at our Military Bases up to 50,000. Again, this is not a place where people would live but where they would go and receive medical care, assistance, get connected with Refugee Resettlement organizations that play a vital role as refugees come to our country from wherever they come Around The World. We are also working with other countries on what their capacities are. Its a very important question. Thats exactly what our department of homeland security, what are diplomatic team to be working through in the coming days. And we will certainly be providing updates as soon as we have that established. Reporter there are of course concerns around lawmakers, large numbers of refugees that might be deemed a Security Risk of sometime, what reassurances can you give about the Screening Process and attempts to make sure somebody like that doesnt make it his or her way here . Secretary psaki i can assure you that nobody is coming into the united states of america who has not been through a thorough Ground'>Screening And BackGround check process. There are many individuals, as you noted, who have not been through that Process And Theyve gone to Lily Pad countries as the process has been completed. It doesnt mean that there is a flag but it means they havent completed their paperwork and we are working to save Tens Of Thousands of people and have evacuated them to these third countries. Reporter is there any update on the u. S. Decision to keep europeans and canadians from visiting the united states . There were a few public messages from ambassadors in washington. Saying that vaccinated europeans it should allowed to come back into the united states. Our peoples should be allowed to come we understand that and relate to that and know that people are eager to be reunited with Loved Ones. That is something that is impacting many people Around The World. I would know that we are right now working across federal agencies to develop a consistent and safe international travel policy. That has been on going for some period of time that includes travel from europe and other countries Around The World. One that we want to be equitable. We want it to have standard requirements so Theres Clarity and equity. This will involve efforts to step up protecting the american people and may involve ensuring over time nationals tt