President Biden silent for hours following Kabul attack that left at least 12 US service members dead

Bret Baier on Kabul airport attack: This is a ‘seminal moment’ for President Biden

‘Special Report’ anchor Bret Baier joined ‘America Reports’ to react to at least 10 U.S. service members killed during the Kabul airport attack.

President Biden has remained relatively silent after the attack in Kabul that left at least 12 U.S. service members dead and dozens of others on Wednesday.

For several hours after the attack, the commander-in-chief’s Twitter timeline was blank and the White House released no statements from him. Biden is scheduled to speak at 5 p.m. ET, which will have been seven hours after the bombing.

As of 3:20 p.m. ET, Biden’s most recent tweet from Wednesday read: “We’re going to do everything that we can to provide safe evacuation for Americans, our Afghan allies, partners, and Afghans who might be targeted because of their association with the United States.” The White House’s and president’s official Twitter accounts posted earlier in the day about evacuations.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki retweeted the Pentagon’s statements on the issue. Although the Defense Department held a press conference, the State Department prompted plenty of online backlash when it said it wouldn’t hold a briefing on Thursday. U.S. officials said 11 Marines and one Navy medic were among those who died.

“Indefensible that we haven’t heard even a word from the President of the United States today,” said Mark Meadows, former White House chief of staff under President Trump. 

The White House’s most up-to-date statement is a “proclamation on Women’s Equality Day 2021.”

“At least 12 U.S. marines died undertaking a mission to cover for his administration’s failures, and it’s crickets from the Oval Office.”

Meanwhile, a flood of reactions have come from other politicians. A long list of leading Republicans have called for either Biden’s impeachment or resignation.

Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., tweeted: “Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, Antony Blinken, Lloyd Austin and General Milley should all resign or face impeachment and removal from office.”

Nikki Haley, the former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, called for Biden’s resignation but worried about how Vice President Kamala Harris would lead.

“Should Biden step down or be removed for his handling of Afghanistan? Yes,” she said. “But that would leave us with Kamala Harris which would be ten times worse. God help us.”

 Leading Democrats offered thoughts and prayers as well as emphasized the need for evacuations.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., condemned the attack and said she requested a briefing from the executive branch.

“The United States House of Representatives strongly condemns the heinous terrorist attack outside Kabul airport,” she said.  “We mourn the loss of every innocent life taken, and we join every American in heartbreak over the deaths of the servicemembers killed.”

“Since the end of July, over 100,000 people have been evacuated from Afghanistan with the assistance of the U.S. military and allied forces.  As we continue this process, Congress, on a bipartisan basis, remains deeply concerned about the security and humanitarian situation in Afghanistan.  As we work with the Biden Administration to bring stability to the situation, Congress must continue to be kept closely informed, which is why I have requested that the Executive Branch continue to brief Members.  At the same time, our Committees of Jurisdiction will continue to hold briefings on Afghanistan.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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