Pentagon to Investigate Afghanistan Withdrawal Under Secretary Hegseth's Direction

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told Breitbart News in an exclusive interview that he has already picked investigators who will look into the disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal.

"We've already identified folks that'll be in charge of that full investigation inside the Pentagon," Hegseth said in the interview Thursday.

"I don't have a timeframe on it. Sadly, we've already waited two-and-a-half years, three years since what occurred. I don't want to wait longer, but I always want to get it right," he said.

FLASHBACK -- Gen. Mark Milley Admits Joe Biden's Afghanistan Evacuation a "Strategic Failure":

In July 2021, the Biden administration launched a chaotic withdrawal of U.S. troops and embassy officials from Afghanistan that led to the deaths of 13 U.S. service members in a suicide bombing at the Kabul International Airport's Abbey Gate.

In addition, hundreds of Americans were left behind, despite the administration touting the withdrawal as successful and bragging about conducting the largest withdrawal in history. On its way out, the U.S. military conducted a strike meant to target the suicide bomber, but ended up killing an aid worker and his family instead. Then-Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley touted it as a "righteous strike."

No leader was held accountable or fired. Only Marine Col. Stuart Scheller, who demanded accountability in a viral video, lost his career. President Donald Trump appointed him as senior adviser to the Defense Under Secretary for Personnel and Readiness.

FLASHBACK -- Joe Biden Admits Afghanistan Collapse Happened "More Quickly" than He Expected:

Hegseth said accountability is coming.

"The way you establish real accountability is by establishing real fact chains -- chains of events, information, what happened. Why did it happen? Who made the decision? What was the reason they made that decision? Why did they give advice or not give advice? Why did they execute an order a certain way? Did they speak up when they were supposed to or not? I don't think there's anybody that feels like there's been an honest accounting of what happened in Afghanistan. That's our job," he said.

"So, we're going to drive that full investigation and get a sense of what happened. And as I stated to the workforce on Friday, I guess less than a week ago, accountability will be coming for what happened in Afghanistan, and that's important to reestablishing trust at the Defense Department," he added.