Blinken and White House blame Trump for chaotic Afghanistan withdrawal.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken acknowledged that the State Department should have done more to prepare for a worst-case scenario in Afghanistan, according to a review led by Ambassador Dan Smith. Blinken highlighted five lessons learned during the review, including the need for more urgent planning and preparation for a potential collapse of the Afghan government. The department's own contingency plans were inhibited by concerns that open preparation might send the wrong signal to Afghans and the government. The report also found a lack of clear authority on who led the evacuation operation, competing and conflicting guidance from Washington on evacuation priorities, and a lack of clear tracking of Americans in Afghanistan.