May 4, 2024
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy slammed President Biden's handling of Afghanistan and Russia on the 21st anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

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House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., tore into President Biden’s foreign policy on the anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, telling Fox News that the president’s actions at home and abroad have made the country less safe.

“Remember, at that moment, 21 years ago today, we had a commander in chief that united the country instead of dividing the country,” McCarthy told “Sunday Morning Futures,” referring to new messaging strategy from President Biden and the White House characterizing so-called “MAGA Republicans,” or conservative members of Congress aligned with former President Donald Trump, as a threat to the country.

“Foreign policy matters,” he continued. “You watched what happened in Afghanistan, that botched action. Why did we close Bagram’s base? Why did we allow those prisoners to get out? Why would we even close in the summer and withdraw? Why would we withdraw without bringing out all the Americans first? All of these decisions should actually be investigated, so they don’t get repeated.”

McCarthy said the Biden administration’s proposal to revive the multinational, Obama-era deal with Iran, which was unilaterally abandoned by President Donald Trump in 2018, endangers the world. 

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy responds to reporters at the Capitol in Washington, Dec. 3, 2021.

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy responds to reporters at the Capitol in Washington, Dec. 3, 2021. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

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“Now I have a real concern with the aggression of China, Russia now into Ukraine. Even on our southern borders, cartels becoming stronger by the day,” he said. “But now we have an administration that is negotiating with the regime in Iran. When we had such progress with the Abraham Accords, to reverse that is wrong. And that is a real concern of what will happen in the future.”

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy wears a Ukrainian flag in his pocket before the State of the Union address by President Biden at the Capitol, March 1, 2022.

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy wears a Ukrainian flag in his pocket before the State of the Union address by President Biden at the Capitol, March 1, 2022. (Jim Lo Scalzo/Pool via AP)

“If you want to know about 21 years ago today, you’ve got to pay attention to what is happening now,” he added. “So in the future, nothing like that happens again.”

Under the deal, Iran curtailed its uranium enrichment in exchange for the lifting of some sanctions and was regularly inspected by the International Atomic Energy Agency.

President Joe Biden speaks during a groundbreaking for a new Intel computer chip facility in New Albany, Ohio, Friday, Sept. 9, 2022.

President Joe Biden speaks during a groundbreaking for a new Intel computer chip facility in New Albany, Ohio, Friday, Sept. 9, 2022. (AP)

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The country could only have 300 kilograms of uranium enriched up to 3.67% under the deal but, according to the latest IAEA count, now has around 3,800 kilograms enriched up to 60% purity.

Negotiations to revive the deal have been ongoing for 16 months. 

Fox News’ Brie Stimson and The Associated Press contributed to this report.