The truth about Afghanistan will come out.
Senate Foreign Relations Chairman and Dem Senator Bob Menendez threatened subpoenas to the Biden administration over Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s refusal to testify.
JUST IN: Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Bob Menendez, a Democrat, has threatened to subpoena Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and other Biden officials who refuse to testify on the Afghanistan withdrawal voluntarily – Axios
— Insider Paper (@TheInsiderPaper) September 14, 2021
The committee’s chair, hawkish New Jersey Democrat Bob Menendez, pulled no punches in his opening statement, threatening to subpoena Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and other Biden officials who decline to voluntarily appear before the committee.
“Mr. Secretary, the execution of the U.S. withdrawal was clearly and fatally flawed,” Menendez told Blinken.
Menendez promised accountability for the multiple administrations who “lied” about the stability of the Afghan government, and she aid Austin’s refusal to testify “will affect my personal judgment on Department of Defense nominees.”
WATCH:
Democrat Senator Bob Menendez says he’s “very disappointed” that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin refused to testify today, and threatens to subpoena him. pic.twitter.com/1QbcdFImM0
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) September 14, 2021
Ranking Republican Senator Jim Risch also brought up Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin not being on the panel.
He said told Blinken he was “disappointed that some of your colleagues declined to testify, particularly Secretary Austin.”
Sen. Jim Risch (R-Idaho), the committee’s ranking Republican, also noted Austin’s absence.
Risch welcomed Secretary of State Antony Blinken and told him he was “doing the right thing” by answering questions from the panel.
“However, like the chairman, I am disappointed that some of your colleagues declined to testify, particularly Secretary Austin. There’s questions that we really need to have answered and it’s disheartening that they declined to testify,” he said.
John Kirby, the Pentagon’s press secretary, told The Epoch Times in an email that Austin had “conflicting commitments” that prevented his appearance before the Senate panel.
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