Fox News Host Pete Hegseth Rips Biden's Afghanistan Withdrawal, Warns of 'Emboldened' US Foes

Hegseth: "They are going to take the measure of Joe Biden, and they're going to push us and push us and push us."

Fox & Friends co-host Pete Hegseth warned on Friday that the recently botched withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan could embolden US foes, such as Iran, China, and Russia, to "push us and push us and push us."

Hegseth made the comments on Fox & Friends Friday morning, shortly after the last US troops left Afghanistan, ending the country's 20-year war. US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin defended the withdrawal, saying it was "the right decision for our country." The Pentagon also stressed that the US would continue to support Afghanistan from afar, including through humanitarian aid, diplomatic engagement, and military operations against terrorism.

Hegseth, however, was highly critical of the withdrawal, saying it was a "disaster" that would have "catastrophic" consequences for the US. He argued that the Biden administration had "abandoned" Afghanistan to the Taliban and that this would lead to a resurgence of terrorism. He also warned that the withdrawal would embolden US foes, such as Iran, China, and Russia.

"They are going to take the measure of Joe Biden, and they're going to push us and push us and push us," Hegseth said. "They're going to see how far they can go, and they're going to keep going until we stop them."

Hegseth's comments reflect a growing concern among Republicans that the Biden administration's foreign policy is weak and indecisive. This concern has been fueled by the withdrawal from Afghanistan, as well as the Biden administration's handling of other foreign policy challenges, such as the ongoing nuclear negotiations with Iran.

It remains to be seen whether Hegseth's concerns are justified. However, it is clear that the Biden administration's foreign policy is facing a number of challenges, and the withdrawal from Afghanistan is likely to be a major test of the administration's ability to manage those challenges.