The Biden administration has downplayed the severity of the situation in Afghanistan and deflected blame for the chaos. In an interview with ABC News's George Stephanopoulos, President Joe Biden remarked on the Taliban's decision to "provide safe passage for Americans to get out," even as thousands of Americans remain stranded in the country and the Taliban has blocked routes to the U.S.-controlled airport in Kabul.
The administration has delivered unclear answers as to whether it will ensure all U.S. citizens are evacuated. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman said she "didn't know of any government capable of reaching out to where everybody might be."