Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered a comprehensive investigation into the disastrous U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, calling it “one of America’s darkest and deadliest international moments.” The review will reevaluate every level of planning and execution behind the chaotic exit that left 13 U.S. service members dead, thousands of Americans and allies stranded, and Afghanistan back under Taliban control.
Hegseth’s directive tasks Pentagon spokesman and former Army Ranger Sean Parnell with leading a newly formed review team. Their mission: to reexamine prior investigations and dig deeper into the strategic failures that turned what should have been an orderly military drawdown into a geopolitical embarrassment.
“This team will ensure accountability to the American people and all those who wear the uniform,” Hegseth stated in a memo to senior defense officials. “Trust must be restored, and truth must be told.”
The review comes as part of President Trump’s broader push for accountability following what he has repeatedly described as a “disastrous and incompetent” operation under the Biden administration. While the original withdrawal was rooted in an agreement negotiated under Trump, the final execution fell to President Biden—and the collapse of Kabul, paired with a deadly suicide bombing at Abbey Gate, became symbolic of a failure in leadership, coordination, and preparation.
This new probe will examine a wide range of failures:
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The hasty drawdown of U.S. forces and equipment.
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Intelligence breakdowns that underestimated the Taliban’s rapid advance.
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The lack of planning for evacuating civilians and Afghan allies.
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Communication failures between the Pentagon, the State Department, and field commanders.
Previous reports by military leaders had already pointed to systemic breakdowns, but this review signals the first major effort by the Trump administration to revisit the withdrawal with a fresh lens—and possibly to assign real accountability to senior officials involved.
The fallout could be significant. Several high-ranking officers who oversaw the withdrawal could face renewed scrutiny, and findings from this investigation are expected to influence future U.S. military disengagement policies.
For many service members, veterans, and Gold Star families, the 2021 withdrawal was not only a tactical failure—it was a betrayal. This new review is being positioned as a step toward justice, clarity, and ensuring such a disaster never happens again.