Hunter Biden has openly criticized his father’s handling of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and questioned current immigration policies, saying he is uncertain about his own political affiliation.

In a wide-ranging interview aired Monday on The Shawn Ryan Show podcast, the former first son described the execution of the Afghanistan withdrawal as a failure, while maintaining that ending the war itself was the right decision.

“I think the failure — one of the failures — was the way in which they executed the withdrawal from Afghanistan,” Hunter Biden said, calling it an “obvious failure” that resulted in the deaths of 13 U.S. service members. He added that while responsibility could be shared among military leaders and officials, “the buck stops with the president.”

Hunter Biden said he supported withdrawing U.S. forces after two decades of war, citing the heavy human and financial cost of the conflict. However, he argued that the manner in which the exit was carried out undermined that decision.

“There was a better way to do it,” he said, adding that while President Donald Trump’s administration also bore responsibility for earlier decisions involving the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA), ultimate accountability rested with the sitting president.

The interview also touched on domestic issues, including immigration, where Hunter Biden appeared to distance himself from Democratic Party positions. He said he was unsure whether he still identified as a Democrat and criticized what he described as a lack of meaningful debate on immigration.

“We need immigration — vibrant immigration,” he said, but added that illegal immigration was straining resources and should not take precedence over veterans and others affected by years of war.

Hunter Biden’s comments come as immigration remains a central political issue in the United States, with Republicans, including Trump, continuing to call for tougher border enforcement following a surge in illegal crossings during the Biden administration.

The Office of the Governor of Herat announced on Tuesday that for the first time, a shipment of ten containers of batteries, of various sizes, manufactured at the local industrial park, has been exported to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

According to a statement, the batteries were dispatched in the presence of the Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade, local officials, and industrialists.

The Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade stated that over the past four years, significant progress has been made in the industrial sector, and with the establishment of the Islamic Emirate, conditions for investment in domestic production have been created.

The Herat local administration welcomed this initiative, describing the export of domestic products as an important step in strengthening the local and national economy. It assured that providing full support to industrialists, offering necessary facilities, and creating a suitable environment for the development of production and exports remain top priorities for the administration.

The Ministry of Energy and Water (MoEW) on Tuesday signed a major power supply project worth over 1.8 billion afghanis with domestic firm State Corps to provide electricity to Qush Tepa and Darzab districts in northern Jawzjan province.

 The contract signing ceremony, held at the Government Information and Media Centre, was attended by Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar and senior government officials.

Mawlawi Abdul Rahman Rahmani, Director General of Renewable Energy at MoEW, said the $28.4 million project (equivalent to 1.886 billion afghanis) aims to ensure nearly all households in Qush Tepa and Darzab have access to electricity.

He explained that the project involves constructing an 85.4-kilometre transmission line from Shiberghan, the provincial capital, building substations, and establishing electricity distribution networks in both districts.

Alauddin Salim, representing State Corps, described the initiative as “crucial” and said it is expected to be completed within three years. He highlighted that domestic firms, like State Corps, are more committed than foreign companies to project delivery.

According to MoEW, the project will be funded through revenues from Afghanistan’s mines and will provide electricity to around 47,000 families. The ministry urged the company to ensure timely completion with high quality standards.