Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Trump and some Republicans are praising the Taliban to criticize Biden despite years of chest-thumping over jihadist terrorism

Trump and some Republicans are praising the Taliban to criticize Biden despite years of chest-thumping over jihadist terrorism

Trump called the Taliban "smart" and said it had "good fighters," while Rep. Gaetz said it was more legitimate than the Biden administration.

Just weeks before the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks by Islamist terrorists, some of the US's most prominent Republicans are now praising the Taliban to own the libs.

Former President Donald Trump and other Republicans have in recent days used the radical militant group's takeover in Afghanistan to air their grievances against President Joe Biden, "big tech," and Trump's Twitter ban — even as the militants violently cracked down on protests against their rule and people trying to escape.

During an appearance on Fox News host Sean Hannity's show Tuesday night, Trump falsely claimed the Taliban has been around for "a thousand years" (the organization was founded in 1994), and lauded the group as being "smart" and having "good fighters."

Hours earlier, Trump's son Donald Trump Jr. took to Twitter to voice his support for the jihadist group's false claim that civil rights issues in Afghanistan under Taliban rule are comparable to the free speech debate in the US.

When Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid was asked about freedom of speech in Afghanistan under the militant regime, he used whataboutism — a classic Soviet propaganda tool — to deflect blame onto the US and tech companies.

"This question should be asked to those people who are claiming to be promoters of freedom of speech who do not allow publication of full information ... I can ask Facebook company. This question should be asked to them," Mujahid said.

Trump Jr. quoted a tweet featuring Mujahid's comments and added, "LOL... Also not wrong."


The younger Trump was presumably referring to the fact that his father was banned from Facebook, Twitter, and most other major social media platforms after he incited the deadly January 6 Capitol insurrection. Trump Jr. and multiple Republican lawmakers have painted the former president's de-platforming as a violation of free speech rights. The 1st amendment guarantees citizens that the government cannot censor their speech.

Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz also took to Twitter Wednesday to say that the "Taliban and Trump should both be on Twitter."

He went on to say that the brutal terrorist group is "more legitimate than the last government in Afghanistan or the current government here."


The Taliban recently waged a brutal insurgency against the US, its NATO allies, and the US-backed Afghan government to regain control of the country. The militant group terrorized Afghanistan for years, often killing civilians in devastating bombings and other violent attacks. In one instance earlier this month, the Taliban claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing targeting Afghanistan's acting defense minister that killed eight people.

The Islamist militant group previously ruled Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001, instituting laws based on a strict interpretation of the Quran. The Taliban enforced these laws with brutal public punishments, including executions in Kabul's soccer stadium. Women, in particular, had few, if any, rights under the Taliban and saw their lives and access to education restricted in myriad ways.

The Taliban marched into Kabul on Sunday after rapidly taking over major cities — in many cases without much fighting — prompting the Afghan president to flee the country.

The Taliban has adopted a more moderate tone in public statements this week. A spokesperson for the Taliban on Tuesday said that no one in Afghanistan would be harmed, but within a day, a protest against Taliban rule in Jalalabad turned deadly when the militants opened fire on peaceful demonstrators.

The Taliban spokesperson claimed women's rights would be respected "within the limits of Islam." But those assurances have rung hollow for Afghan women, many of whom in recent days have expressed fears that the Taliban will kill them now that it's back in control.

Taliban fighters regained control of Afghanistan on Sunday.


'Utterly bizarre'


Trump and Republicans' statements praising the terror group are all the more noteworthy given the GOP's years of chest-thumping about the threat of "radical Islamic terrorism."

In June, Republicans moved to censure Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar after falsely accusing her of equating the US and Israel with the Taliban and Hamas. This came after Omar referenced open International Criminal Court probes into potential war crimes committed by the US, Israel, Hamas, and the Taliban while questioning the top US diplomat on America's opposition to such inquiries.

Less than a month out from the 20th anniversary of the terror attacks, many prominent Republicans, including the leader of the party, are striking a markedly different tone about the Taliban as they criticize Biden over the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan.

And yet, in just the days since the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan, some Republicans have used the conflict to accuse others of harboring anti-American sentiment.

One recipient of these bad-faith attacks was CNN's Clarissa Ward, who has risked her security to broadcast a series of devastating reports from on the ground in Kabul and been accosted by militants.

In one report, Ward commented on how "bizarre" the Taliban's behavior was.

After noting how some Afghans approached the fighters to take pictures, Ward said, "They're just chanting, 'Death to America,' but they seem friendly at the same time. It's utterly bizarre."

Trump Jr. and Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas immediately seized on Ward's statement, accusing her and CNN of being anti-American.

"Is there an enemy of America for whom @CNN WON'T cheerlead?" Cruz tweeted. "In mandatory burkas, no less."


Trump Jr. piled on, tweeting, "Isn't this the same network that brought us 'mostly peaceful protests?'" likely referring to last year's antiracism protests that swept the country after George Floyd's murder.


AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
France Requests Airlines to Cut Flights at Paris Airports Amid Planned Air Traffic Controller Strike
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Germany Votes to Suspend Family Reunification for Asylum Seekers
Budapest Pride Parade Draws 200,000 Participants Amid Government Ban
Southern Europe Experiences Extreme Heat
Xiaomi's YU7 SUV Launch Garners Record Pre-Orders Amid Market Challenges
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Lavish Wedding in Venice
Russia Launches Largest Air Assault on Ukraine Since Invasion
Massive Anti-Government Protests Erupt in Belgrade
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Hungary's Prime Minister Criticizes NATO's Role in Ukraine
EU TO HUNGARY: LET THEM PRIDE OR PREP FOR SHADE. ORBÁN TO EU: STAY IN YOUR LANE AND FIX YOUR OWN MESS.
Hungarian Scientist to Conduct 30 Research Experiments on the International Space Station
NATO Members Agree to 5% Defense Spending Target by 2035
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
International Astronaut Team Launched to Space Station
Macron and Merz: Europe must arm itself in an unstable world
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Iran Intensifies Crackdown on Alleged Mossad Operatives After Sabotage Claims
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
Oil Prices Set to Surge After US Strikes Iran
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Hungary Ranked Among the World’s Safest Travel Destinations for 2025
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
×