Former National Security Adviser Blames 2020 Agreement for Afghanistan Collapse, Saying U.S. “Defeated Ourselves”
HR McMaster, former national security adviser under President Donald Trump, has strongly condemned the peace deal struck with the Taliban in 2020, calling it a “surrender agreement.” In an appearance on Bari Weiss’ podcast Honestly, McMaster emphasized that the agreement, signed by then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, was a key factor in the collapse of the Afghan government. He argued that the Taliban did not defeat the U.S., but that the U.S. had essentially “defeated ourselves” through the terms of the deal, which led to the Taliban’s rapid takeover of the country in 2021.