Former US President son Hunter Biden has openly criticized the withdrawal of American forces from Afghanistan, calling the way it was executed a serious failure that led to heavy human losses, including Afghan civilians and US service members.
Speaking on The Shawn Ryan Show podcast, Hunter Biden said the decision to end the war was correct, but the manner in which it was carried out caused unnecessary deaths and chaos.
His remarks mark one of the strongest public criticisms of the Afghanistan withdrawal from within the Biden family.
Withdrawal executed “in the Wrong Way”
Hunter Biden said the evacuation from Kabul in August 2021 could have been handled far better.
“I think the failure, one of the failures, was the way in which they executed the withdrawal from Afghanistan. I think it was an obvious f—ing failure,” he said.
He referred directly to the deadly suicide bombing at Kabul airport.
“I think thirteen marines are dead. I think that there was a better way to do it,” he said, adding that responsibility could be shared but ultimate accountability lay at the top.
“My dad always knew this also, that the buck stops with him. I think that was a failure.”
The final days of the evacuation saw US troops guarding Kabul airport under constant threat, as tens of thousands of Afghans and foreign nationals tried to flee.
On August 26, a suicide attack killed 13 US service members and around 169 Afghans.
Ending the war was right, execution was not
Despite his criticism, Hunter Biden said leaving Afghanistan after 20 years of war was the correct decision.
“I think leaving Afghanistan was the right thing to do,” he said, pointing to the long conflict, the loss of life, and trillions of dollars spent.
However, he also blamed earlier decisions including prisoner releases under President Donald Trump.
“You can blame part of it on Trump… but the execution of the withdrawal resulted in [these deaths],” he said.
The interview also touched on US immigration policy. Hunter Biden said the country needed “vibrant immigration” but warned that illegal immigration was putting pressure on resources.
He said veterans and those affected by long wars should not be ignored.
His comments come as Afghanistan, immigration, and foreign policy remain sensitive political issues in the United States with the legacy of the 2021 withdrawal still shaping debate.
Read more: Several Afghan Migrants Die from Extreme Cold While Crossing Iran–Afghanistan Border
