U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul has issued a subpoena to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, demanding his testimony on the 2021 Afghanistan withdrawal. Blinken is required to appear on Sept. 19 or face contempt charges. McCaul emphasized the State Department’s central role during the evacuation and aims to assess potential legislative reforms to prevent future missteps.
State Department spokesman Matthew Miller noted Blinken’s previous testimony on Afghanistan and criticized the subpoena as unnecessary, stating the department has offered alternative hearing dates. The subpoena follows a prolonged dispute over access to documents related to the withdrawal, which has faced heavy Republican criticism for being chaotic.–News Desk