Joe Biden · Democratic · Major Decision
Withdrawal From Afghanistan
Aug 30, 2021
Joe BidenForeign PolicyMajor DecisionTerm (2021–25)
📜 View the official record on federalregister.gov
What happened
Completed the U.S. military exit from Afghanistan, ending the 20-year war. The Taliban swept to power and the chaotic Kabul evacuation included a suicide bombing that killed 13 U.S. service members.
How it happened
Executed an exit under a 2020 deal; final withdrawal completed August 30, 2021.
Documented impact
Positive impactsubstantiated
Ended America's longest war, which most Americans supported doing.
~77% supported withdrawing U.S. troops; over 120,000 people were airlifted out in a massive evacuation.
Negative impactsubstantiated
The chaotic collapse was widely judged a failure of execution.
The Taliban takeover, the deadly Kabul airport bombing, and abandoned allies drew bipartisan criticism; ~60% disapproved of the handling and Biden's approval never recovered.
Public opinion
📊 Public opinion
Handling of the Afghanistan withdrawal
Approve handling38%
Disapprove handling60%
Americans backed withdrawal in principle (~77%) but disapproved of the execution; the episode began a lasting slide in Biden's approval.
Sources
Every claim above links to its source. Primary record and cited reporting: