White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki dismissed as "irresponsible" any claim that Americans are stranded in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan despite numerous reports of citizens unable to reach the airport in Kabul, days of video showing chaos outside its gates, and a State Department warning for Americans not to risk travel to the transit hub.
The State Department on Saturday told the thousands of Americans stuck in Afghanistan not to proceed to Hamid Karzai International Airport unless they've received individual instructions, as the area around the airport has become increasingly dangerous and the U.S. fears the possibility of a terror attack amid the evacuation operation.
But when pressed about the issue on Monday, Psaki responded by ridiculing the question.
"First of all, I think it's irresponsible to say Americans are stranded. They are not," she said. "We are committed to bringing Americans who want to come home, home."
Fox News reporter Peter Doocy followed up on Psaki's retort by asking if "'There are no Americans stranded' is the White House's official position on what's happening in Afghanistan right now?"
Psaki replied: "I'm just calling you out for saying that we are stranding Americans in Afghanistan when we have been very clear that we are not leaving Americans who want to return home. We are going to bring them home."
Currently, the only way for Americans to leave Afghanistan is through the airport in Kabul, which is surrounded by Taliban checkpoints.
Even before the weekend cable warning Americans to stay away unless they've received individual instructions, the State Department had cautioned that "the United States government cannot ensure safe passage to the Hamid Karzai International Airport."
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