The Trump administration’s approach to the Afghanistan withdrawal created structural conditions that shaped—and in some ways constrained—the decisions made by the administration that followed. By negotiating directly with the Taliban while excluding the Afghan government, sharply reducing U.S. troop levels before the final evacuation, and issuing a firm withdrawal deadline with few enforcement mechanisms, the U.S. signaled a sweeping shift in leverage that reverberated throughout the country’s political and military institutions. When the Biden administration assumed office, it inherited an agreement that had already weakened the Afghan state and empowered its adversaries, narrowing its available policy options. While the chaos of the final withdrawal raised urgent questions about operational preparedness and accountability, the precursor decisions cast a long shadow. The episode illustrates how foreign policy handoffs—especially those involving active conflict—carry consequences that can transcend administrations, redefine regional dynamics, and reshape U.S. credibility abroad.
View More What Trump’s Removal of Senior Military and Intelligence Leaders Could Mean for U.S. National Security