Washington: U.S. President Donald Trump reiterated his demand for the return of American military equipment left behind in Afghanistan following the U.S. withdrawal.
Speaking on the final day of the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on Saturday, February 22, Trump expressed anger over seeing Taliban forces using American vehicles in military parades.
This is not the first time Trump has criticized U.S. assistance to Afghanistan under Taliban rule. He has repeatedly accused the Biden administration of effectively handing over billions of dollars’ worth of military assets to adversaries. On January 19, a day before Biden's inauguration, Trump condemned the previous administration for allowing U.S. military equipment to fall into enemy hands, saying, “We rebuilt our entire military, and they (Biden’s administration) gave billions and billions of dollars' worth of equipment to the Taliban.”
During his nearly 90-minute speech at CPAC, Trump highlighted his administration’s achievements and criticized Biden’s policies, particularly on immigration. He asserted that new measures under his leadership have made America safer, reducing crime and preventing illegal migrants from entering the country. Trump also claimed that nations that initially refused to accept deported individuals are now willing to take them back.
While Trump was critical of many foreign policies, he took a notably softer tone on China, saying, “I happen to like him (Chinese President Xi Jinping).” However, he maintained that China and other countries engage in unfair trade practices with the U.S.
Two weeks ago, Trump imposed a 25% tariff on Canada and Mexico, citing their lack of action against illegal migration and drug trafficking. However, he temporarily suspended the tariffs after discussions with the leaders of both nations, who pledged to take measures to address the issues.
Regarding the ongoing war in Ukraine, Trump expressed sorrow over the high casualties among young soldiers and hinted at ongoing diplomatic efforts. “I think we are very close to a deal, and that’s a good thing,” he said. Trump has previously claimed he could end the war within 24 hours but has not disclosed his strategy.
Reports suggest that U.S. officials have been in contact with Russian authorities in recent weeks, and there is speculation about a possible meeting between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. While Trump mentioned a potential meeting by the end of the week, Russia’s Foreign Ministry stated on Saturday that discussions were still in preliminary stages.
On Iran, Trump declared that Tehran was “broken” during his presidency, lacking funds for groups like Hezbollah and Hamas. He blamed Biden for lifting sanctions, which he claimed allowed Iran to regain financial strength through oil sales.
Trump also defended his decision in 2018 to withdraw unilaterally from the Iran nuclear deal and reimpose economic sanctions. Additionally, he emphasized the importance of tariffs in balancing international trade and reaffirmed his commitment to reshaping American politics to guide future generations.
