Political Quotes

On the recordApril 13, 2021
The United States will begin our final withdrawal -- begin it on May 1 of this year. We`ll not conduct a hasty rush to the exit. We`ll do it -- we`ll do it responsibly, deliberately and safely. I know there are many who will insist that diplomacy cannot exist without a robust U.S. military presence to stand as leverage. We gave that argument a decade. It`s never proved effective, not when we had 98,000 troops in Afghanistan and not when we were down to a few thousand. Our diplomacy does not hinge on having boots in harm`s way, U.S. boots on the ground. We have to change that thinking.
Said by
Joe Biden
Democratic · Delaware
Source
msnbc.com

Editor's note · Context

President Biden announces the beginning of the final withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan.

Share

More from Joe Biden

Aug 15, 2026

As President, I will always defend Social Security, protect America’s seniors, and invest in the dedicated workers who form the backbone of our Republic.

whitehouse.gov
Nov 9, 2025

Now we have a president who is deliberately making hunger worse for Americans.

usatoday.com
Feb 17, 2026

Determined and tenacious. Unafraid of the work to redeem the soul of our Nation.

theguardian.com
Jun 7, 2026

They're the characteristics of the American people.

foxnews.com

Other voices in this conversation