Trump Criticizes Milley for Abandoning $7B Military Equipment Afghanistan

President Donald Trump revealed during a Cabinet meeting that he clashed with former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley over the decision to leave billions of dollars’ worth of U.S. military equipment in Afghanistan during the 2021 withdrawal. Trump criticized Milley for suggesting it was cheaper to abandon the equipment, calling him an "idiot" and describing the withdrawal as "the most embarrassing moment" in U.S. history due to the loss of dignity and lives. The Taliban seized nearly all of the more than $7 billion worth of equipment left behind, according to a 2022 Department of Defense report, although much of it likely became nonoperational without maintenance. While the withdrawal plan began under the Trump administration, it was executed under President Joe Biden, who has faced harsh criticism for the chaotic evacuation and the subsequent Taliban takeover. Trump emphasized he would have kept key military assets like the Bagram airbase to prevent strategic losses. Milley has not publicly responded to Trump's recent remarks.