Fox News Asks About Bergdahl Prisoner Swap — Psaki Responds By Citing ‘Thousands’ Released by Trump

 White House press secretary Jen Psaki brought up Donald Trump when asked on Tuesday how President Joe Biden feels about reports that current Taliban spox Khairullah Khairkhwa was previously in U.S. custody, and was then swapped for Bowe Bergdahl in a controversial prisoner exchange.

The Bergdahl exchange, which included four other Taliban commanders being released from Guantanamo Bay, took place when Biden was Vice President back in 2014. The move faced harsh criticism.

At the briefing, Fox News White House reporter Jacqui Heinrich asked Psaki about the Bergdahl case, and the fact that one of those prisoners is now a primary figure in the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan.

“If the administration is left to negotiate with the Taliban, including one of the commandos who was released from Guantanamo Bay as part of the Bowe Bergdahl prisoner swap when President Biden was vice president, how does he feel about that? Does he have any regrets, and how is he digesting that?” said Heinrich.

Psaki questioned the identification, and then pointed out that the Trump administration facilitated the release of far more Taliban prisoners.

“I’d point to the intelligence community to assess the identity of the individual. I know there’s been reporting on it, but that’s not my position to do from here,” replied Psaki. “I would also note that in prior negotiations and commitments made during the Trump administration, there were thousands of individuals who were released, so our focus right now is on, again, not taking the Taliban’s word for it.”

“We are assessing, we are closely watching, we are being very clear about the capacities and the capabilities we have at hand should they be needed,” she continued. “Of course, that’s not our objective.”

As part of the withdrawal agreement the Trump administration made with the Taliban in February 2020, Afghanistan released 5,000 Taliban prisoners.

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