Rep. Markwayne Mullin 'heading home' after report of plan to enter Afghanistan
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U.S. Rep. Markwayne Mullin posted a message on Instagram Wednesday saying he was heading home after “helping get Americans out of Afghanistan.”
The message came after the Washington Post reported on Tuesday night that Mullin had been in the region and argued with U.S. State Department personnel over his plans to get into Afghanistan.
The Post reported that Mullin, an Oklahoma Republican, asked U.S. embassy staff in Tajikistan on Monday to help him bring in more cash than that country allows so he could then go to neighboring Afghanistan to rescue five Americans. Mullin planned to use the cash to hire a helicopter, the paper said.
The Post, quoting unnamed sources, reported that the embassy refused and that Mullin then threatened them, though the actual threats were not reported. The Post said it was Mullin’s second attempt in the past two weeks to get into Afghanistan.
In the Instagram post, Mullin said, “I am heading home. Have we been helping get Americans out of Afghanistan, yes. Is the mission continuing, yes. Am I missing, no. Did I go dark for a little, yes because it wasn’t safe to be communicating. Am I extremely disappointed in how we (United States) left Americans behind … that would be an understatement.
“President Biden and his administration are absolutely lying to the American people about Americans and our friends being left behind.”
The United States on Monday completed the withdrawal of troops, a decision Biden defended in a speech to the nation on Tuesday. The administration has said that up to 200 Americans remain the country, and the president said they would be evacuated if they wanted to be.
It was not clear Wednesday whether Mullin got into Afghanistan this week. His office released a statement late Tuesday that gave no details on Mullin’s trip or whereabouts.
Mullin, 44, has been in the House since 2013. He represents the 2nd District of Oklahoma, which includes all or part of 24 counties in eastern Oklahoma.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Congressman Markwayne Mullin had plan to enter Afghanistan: report
