As soon as American troops moved to withdraw from Afghanistan, the Taliban quickly captured key cities and seized control of the government.
President Joe Biden, who ordered the withdrawal, has faced intense criticism from both Republican and Democratic lawmakers, with many describing the move as a major mistake.
Republican Sen. Rick Scott of Florida, who chairs the Senate GOP campaign arm, became on Monday the first lawmaker to call for an investigation into Biden’s handling of Afghanistan.
Scott also floated using the 25th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution to remove Biden from office.
Here’s What Scott Said
Scott took to Twitter to blast Biden, writing the following.
"After the disastrous events in Afghanistan, we must confront a serious question: Is Joe Biden capable of discharging the duties of his office or has time come to exercise the provisions of the 25th Amendment?"
As reported by The Hill, the senator also urged top Democrats to launch an investigation.
"Today, I’m calling for Leader Schumer and Speaker Pelosi to immediately launch a bipartisan and bicameral investigation into the Biden administration’s failed withdrawal of American forces. They must put partisan politics aside and demand accountability from the Biden administration," he said.
25th Amendment
Republicans have previously floated using the 25th Amendment to remove Biden.
Notably, allies of former President Donald Trump have claimed that the Democrat is suffering from mental decline and therefore incapable of performing his duties.
After the January 6 attacks on the U.S. Capitol, Democrats and some Republicans urged White House officials to remove Trump from office using the 25th Amendment.
White House officials refused to invoke the constitutional mechanism and Trump left office on January 20, without formally conceding the 2020 election to Biden.
Afghanistan Withdrawal
It was Trump, not Biden, who negotiated the withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan.
In fact, Trump had set a withdrawal deadline for U.S. troops in Afghanistan for May 1, but Biden postponed it after assuming office.
Still, key Republicans have criticized Biden for following in his predecessor’s footsteps.
In a statement over the weekend, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said that "a proud superpower has been reduced to hoping the Taliban will not interfere with our efforts to flee Afghanistan."
"Terrorists and major competitors like China are watching the embarrassment of a superpower laid low," he added.
Biden Administration
As The Associated Press, reported, Biden remained at Camp David over the weekend, where he received briefings on the situation.
Administration officials, meanwhile, have conceded that the Taliban’s quick takeover of the country took them by surprise, with national security adviser Jake Sullivan blaming the Afghan government.
In July, Biden described the possibility of the Taliban taking over as "highly unlikely."
"There’s going to be no circumstance where you see people being lifted off the roof of a embassy in the — of the United States from Afghanistan. The likelihood there’s going to be one unified government in Afghanistan controlling the whole country is highly unlikely," he said.
