President Donald Trump on Tuesday criticized retired General Mark Milley, the former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, over the decision to leave behind U.S. military equipment during the 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan – calling it a “historic embarrassment” and describing Milley as “an idiot” for supporting the move.

Speaking during a Cabinet meeting, Trump recounted a disagreement with Milley, who had argued it was more cost-effective to abandon military assets rather than retrieve or destroy them during the withdrawal. Trump, who has repeatedly condemned the exit strategy from Afghanistan, said the decision reflected poor leadership and damaged American credibility.

“That’s when I knew he was an idiot,” Trump said. “They left all that equipment. But they left their dignity behind. It was the most embarrassing moment, in my opinion, in the history of our country. Not that we got out – we shouldn’t have been there – but the way we got out, with great embarrassment and death.”

According to a 2022 report by the Department of Defense, the Islamic Emirate seized a significant portion of the more than $7 billion in military equipment left behind.

While U.S. forces removed or disabled some high-value items, a variety of vehicles, aircraft, and weapon systems remained in Afghanistan. The Pentagon noted that much of the equipment would likely become inoperable without regular maintenance from U.S. contractors.

The withdrawal, finalized under President Joe Biden, followed through on a 2020 agreement negotiated during Trump’s administration with the Islamic Emirate to end the decades-long conflict.

However, the rapid collapse of Afghan government forces at the time, and the Islamic Emirate’s swift return to power, triggered widespread criticism – particularly after a suicide bombing at Kabul’s Hamid Karzai International Airport killed 13 U.S. service members and over 150 Afghans during evacuation operations.

Earlier this year, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth ordered a comprehensive review of the withdrawal, citing the need for accountability and lessons learned.

Milley, who retired in 2023, has not responded publicly to Trump’s latest comments. However, during testimony before the House Foreign Affairs Committee in 2024, Milley defended the decisions made during the withdrawal.

He stated that he and then-U.S. Central Command leader Gen. Kenneth McKenzie had both advised the Biden administration to maintain a small U.S. military presence in Afghanistan.

“The outcome in Afghanistan was the result of many decisions from many years of war,” Milley told lawmakers. “Like any complex phenomenon, there was no single causal factor that determined the outcome.”

Trump and Milley have had a strained relationship in recent years. Though Milley was appointed by Trump in 2019, tensions escalated following Milley’s public apology for appearing alongside Trump during a controversial photo-op outside the White House amid the 2020 George Floyd protests. Milley later said his presence “created a perception of the military involved in domestic politics.”

In the final weeks of Biden’s first term, the White House issued a preemptive pardon for Milley, a move aimed at shielding the retired general from potential legal action should Trump return to office. Milley’s security clearance was subsequently revoked by Secretary Hegseth in January.

As the number of Afghan returnees from Iran continues to surge, the Bayat Foundation has launched an emergency aid campaign at the Islam Qala border crossing in Herat province, providing critical support to thousands of displaced individuals.

Dr. Ehsanullah Bayat, Chairman of the Foundation, said on Tuesday that the aid includes food packages, tents, clean drinking water, and organized transportation from the border to Herat city. He described the conditions many returnees are facing as “heartbreaking and unacceptable,” and pledged to continue and expand relief efforts.

“They should not have to endure so much hardship and suffering. For this reason, I personally, on behalf of my family, on behalf of the Bayat Foundation, and in cooperation with Afghan Wireless, made efforts to ease the return of our compatriots,” he said.

“We have arranged a series of services—including transportation, food supplies, water, and other essentials that our people (migrants) need for nourishment—and we plan to expand this assistance,” he added.

The aid distribution marks the first phase of a broader support plan, with hundreds of people reportedly being relocated from the border to Herat each day through the Bayat Foundation’s logistical support. The initiative is being implemented in coordination with Afghan Wireless, reflecting a private-sector response to a growing humanitarian crisis.

Returnees, many of whom have been forcibly deported from Iran or fled worsening conditions, have welcomed the assistance. Several expressed deep gratitude and urged continued support as they attempt to reintegrate into communities with limited resources.

Bayat emphasized that the foundation’s objective is to ease the return process for vulnerable Afghans and ensure they are met with dignity and essential services. Further phases of aid are expected to increase the scale and scope of support in the coming weeks.

About the Bayat Foundation

Established in 2005, the Bayat Foundation is one of Afghanistan’s largest private charitable organizations. It was founded by Dr. Ehsanullah Bayat, a prominent businessman and philanthropist, with a mission to support the health, education, and well-being of the Afghan people.

Over the past two decades, the Foundation has implemented a wide range of humanitarian programs, including the construction of hospitals, schools, maternity wards, mosques and water supply systems in underserved areas across Afghanistan.

It has also responded to natural disasters and displacement crises with emergency relief operations. These operations have included the provision of emergency aid to earthquake victims, and the Foundation’s annual Ramadan aid campaign.

The Foundation works closely with Afghan Wireless Communication Company (AWCC)—also founded by Bayat—to deliver aid and expand infrastructure, especially in remote areas.

Through its community-driven approach, the Bayat Foundation continues to play a vital role in improving lives and providing relief during times of crisis, as shown in its recent mobilization at the Islam Qala border.

The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) has strongly rejected the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) announcement of arrest warrants for its top leadership, calling the court’s actions politically motivated and without legal standing.

In an official audio statement, Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesperson for the Islamic Emirate, said: “We do not recognize any institution by the name or title of the International Criminal Court, nor do we have any commitment to it.”

“Such rulings will not affect the firm will and legitimate position of the Islamic Emirate.”

The comments came in response to the ICC’s move on Tuesday, in which it issued arrest warrants for Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada and Chief Justice Abdul Hakim Haqqani, accusing them of crimes against humanity – specifically, what they claim is the “persecution of women and girls” under IEA rule.

Mujahid dismissed the charges and questioned the ICC’s moral credibility, pointing to the international court’s silence on what he described as the ongoing genocide of Palestinians in Gaza.

“The genocide of Palestinians at the hands of Israel, supported by its allied countries, continues. Hundreds of women and children are killed daily, and the ICC remains silent. Their claim to defend human rights is shameful,” he said.

The ICC charges center on policies enacted by the IEA since their return to power in August 2021. The court alleges that senior leadership, including Akhundzada and Haqqani, are responsible for institutionalized gender-based oppression, including bans on girls’ education beyond sixth grade; prohibitions on women’s employment; and restrictions on women’s freedom of movement without a male guardian.

The arrest warrants mark the first time the ICC has targeted IEA leaders for gender-based crimes.

While the Islamic Emirate has consistently defended its policies as aligned with Islamic Sharia and Afghan cultural values, international bodies have repeatedly condemned them as violations of basic human rights.