Subpoenaing Secretary Blinken for His Refusal to Provide Answers on His Role in the Afghanistan Withdrawal
Since May, I’ve made it clear to Secretary of State Antony Blinken that he will be required to appear before my committee this September and testify on the findings in our upcoming report on the botched Afghanistan withdrawal. His continued refusal forced me to issue a subpoena this week.
As Secretary of State throughout the withdrawal, he was entrusted to lead these efforts and secure the safe evacuations of American citizens and our Afghan allies. In testimony before the committee, current and former State Department officials confirmed that he served as the final decision-maker for the State Department on the withdrawal and the evacuation. This catastrophic withdrawal and its devastating consequences rest largely on his shoulders.
The investigation revealed there were significant failures within multiple bureaus at the State Department, as well as at the embassy. As the head of the State Department, Secretary Blinken is the only person who can speak on behalf of the Department as a whole on our report and the recommendations we have made. It is vital we hear from the head of the department as we finalize our legislative efforts. And with the limited time on the calendar, we need to begin that process now – not after the election.
If Secretary Blinken fails to appear before my committee on September 19th and provide answers to our Gold Star families, servicemembers, and the American public, then I will ensure he faces contempt charges. He would be the first secretary of state to ever be held in contempt of Congress.
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