The Taliban seeks international legitimacy and support. Our message is any legitimacy and any support will have to be earned.

The main point I want to drive home here today is that America’s work in Afghanistan continues.

We owe that to future diplomats, policymakers, military leaders, service members. We owe that to the American people.

I want to commend our outstanding diplomats who work around the clock in around the world to coordinate the operation.

We will continue our humanitarian assistance to the people of Afghanistan.

The Taliban is committed to let anyone with proper documents leave the place in a safe and orderly manner.

We`re operating in a hostile environment in a city and country now controlled by the Taliban with the very real possibility of an ISIS k attack.

Based on our analysis, starting on august 14th when our evacuation operations began, there was then a population of as many as 6,000 American citizens in Afghanistan who wanted to leave.

I take responsibility. I know the president has said he takes responsibility. And I know all of my colleagues across government feel the same way.

For the remaining roughly 1000 contacts that we had, who may be Americans seeking to leave Afghanistan, we`re aggressively reaching out to them multiple times a day. There is no deadline on our work to help any remaining American citizens…

I take responsibility. I know the President has said he takes responsibility.

They will not be forgotten. We certainly have points of incentive and points of leverage with a future Afghan government to help make sure that that happens.