Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth opened an investigation into the Biden-era Afghanistan withdrawal, an operation that led to the deaths of 13 U.S. service members.
“President Trump promised accountability for what transpired during that military withdrawal, and I am committed to delivering on that promise,” Hegseth said in a statement. “We have an obligation to the American people and to the warfighters who fought in Afghanistan to get the truth – and we will.”
Hegseth explained that he has directed the Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs and Senior Advisor Sean Parnell to “convene a Special Review Panel for the Department into the US military withdrawal from Afghanistan.”
“Sean Parnell spent 485 days serving in Afghanistan. Sean was wounded in action along with 85% of his platoon and lost countless friends to the War on Terror,” the statement continued. “It is fitting that he will lead the effort to reexamine previous Abbey Gate investigations conducted by U.S. Central Command during the Biden Administration.”
In a memo to the Defense Department, Hegseth said that while the DOD has reviewed the event over the last three months, he has concluded that “we need to conduct a comprehensive review to ensure that accountability for this event is met and that the complete picture is provided to the American people.”
Ahead of Hegseth’s confirmation as Defense Secretary, the Abbey Gate Coalition, comprising parents and families of the 13 U.S. service members killed in the Kabul airport terrorist attack, urged the Senate Armed Services Committee to support Hegseth.
President Donald Trump has also called for the dismissal of all military generals involved in the withdrawal.
