Pelosi's office slams Kevin McCarthy for ‘empty stunt’ following Kabul airport attack

Following the terrorist attack at the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan on Thursday, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy issued a statement calling for President Joe Biden to "take decisive action to protect our troops…. without regard for an arbitrary deadline." And Drew Hammill, House Speaker Pelosi's deputy chief of staff, tweeted that "empty stunts" and "distraction" from McCarthy aren't going to make a tense situation any better.

McCarthy, in his statement, said, "Our enemies have taken advantage of the chaotic nature of the withdrawal. It is time for Congress to act quickly to save lives. Speaker Pelosi must bring Congress back into session before August 31."

McCarthy went on to urge Pelosi to pass a bill by Republican Rep. Mike Gallagher of Wisconsin "prohibiting the withdrawal of our troops until every American is out of Afghanistan."

Hammill, in response to McCarthy's statement, pointed out that it was former President Donald Trump who "negotiated with the Taliban" in 2020: