{"id":24579,"date":"2020-03-06T21:41:22","date_gmt":"2020-03-06T21:41:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/uncategorized\/2020\/03\/06\/trump-says-taliban-could-possibly-overrun-afghan-government\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T02:07:58","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T02:07:58","slug":"trump-says-taliban-could-possibly-overrun-afghan-government","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/flashpoints\/2020\/03\/06\/trump-says-taliban-could-possibly-overrun-afghan-government\/","title":{"rendered":"Trump says Taliban could possibly overrun Afghan government"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure class=\"wp-block-smg-jwplayer-video\"><atype-video-jwplayer nostick=\"true\" playlisturl=\"https:\/\/cdn.jwplayer.com\/v2\/playlists\/fCzRqMW8?tags=4cdd05b5-8a5f-426c-9de7-a8c58acbd0dd\" poster=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/video-poster-4cdd05b5-8a5f-426c-9de7-a8c58acbd0dd.jpg\" aspectratio=\"16 \/ 9\" mute autostart=\"false\"><\/atype-video-jwplayer><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Her Excellency Roya Rahmani talks about her home nation&#8217;s growing role in accepting responsibility for its own security.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">President Donald Trump suggested Friday that it was possible the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/news\/your-military\/2020\/03\/01\/lets-go-home-afghan-war-vets-torn-on-us-taliban-deal\/\" target=_blank>Taliban<\/a> could seize power and overrun the Afghan military.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Trump\u2019s remarks come amid turmoil over a peace deal signed between the Taliban and U.S. that could see the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/flashpoints\/2020\/03\/02\/esper-gives-go-ahead-to-begin-drawdown-of-american-forces-in-afghanistan\/\" target=_blank>withdrawal of all U.S. forces <\/a>from Afghanistan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A resumption of Taliban military operations and wranglings over a prisoner exchange between Kabul and the militant group threaten to derail the agreement inked Feb. 29 in Doha, Qatar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/politics\/national-security\/officials-u-s-has-persuasive-intel-taliban-does-not-intend-n1150051\" target=_blank>NBC News<\/a> reported, citing three U.S. officials, that the American government has intelligence that the Taliban do not intend to live up to their commitments in the deal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">During a signing ceremony at the White House Friday, Trump said \u201cIt\u2019s not supposed to happen that way, but it possibly will,\u201d when asked if the Taliban will overrun the Afghan government after U.S. forces leave.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe can\u2019t be there for the next \u2014 another 20 years,\u201d Trump said. Trump explained that the Afghan government needs to start protecting itself and expressed hope that Afghans were capable of defending themselves over the long term.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/flashpoints\/2020\/03\/04\/esper-says-taliban-not-honoring-deal-as-us-warplanes-bail-out-afghan-forces\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/afghanistan.jpg_9b3a0b.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">Esper says Taliban not honoring deal as US warplanes bail out Afghan forces<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">Defense Secretary Mark Esper said that the Taliban were honoring the agreement in terms of \u201cnot attacking U.S. and coalition forces, but not in terms of sustaining a reduction of violence.&quot;<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cYou know, this should have been done a long time ago. But you can only hold somebody\u2019s hand for so long. We have to get back to running our country too,\u201d Trump said at the White House Friday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.whitehouse.gov\/briefings-statements\/remarks-president-trump-fox-news-town-hall-scranton-pa\/\" target=_blank>Fox News<\/a> town Hall Thursday in Scranton, Pennsylvania, Trump expressed some optimism about the peace deal and suggested Taliban fighters may be growing tired of fighting on the battlefield.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI think after 19 \u2014 actually, going very close to 20 \u2014 years, they\u2019re also tired of fighting, believe it or not. But they are warriors and they are fighters and that\u2019s what they\u2019ve done for a thousand years,\u201d Trump said in Scranton.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">U.S. officials have been quick to defend the agreement between the Taliban and the U.S. despite a recent spike in violence as Taliban fighters resumed their offensive against the Afghan government on Monday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">American warplanes were forced to bail out Afghan forces on Wednesday in Helmand province after Afghan forces came under attack by Taliban militants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The airstrike was a first for American aircraft following a week long reduction in violence period from Feb. 22 to Feb. 29 that led to the U.S. signing an agreement with the Taliban.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"4928\" height=\"3280\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/GettyImages-1204647996.jpg.jpg\" alt=\"Afghan Taliban militants\" class=\"wp-image-52340\" srcset=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/GettyImages-1204647996.jpg.jpg 4928w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/GettyImages-1204647996.jpg.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/GettyImages-1204647996.jpg.jpg?resize=768,511 768w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/GettyImages-1204647996.jpg.jpg?resize=1024,682 1024w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/GettyImages-1204647996.jpg.jpg?resize=1536,1022 1536w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/GettyImages-1204647996.jpg.jpg?resize=2048,1363 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 4928px) 100vw, 4928px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Afghan Taliban militants and villagers attend a gathering as they celebrate the peace deal in Afghanistan&#8217;s Alingar district of Laghman Province on March 2, 2020. (Noorullah Shirzada\/AFP via Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Secretary of Defense Mark Esper told lawmakers Wednesday that the uptick in violence following a relative lull was a breach of the Taliban\u2019s commitments to reduce violence across the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, the four-page publicly available agreement includes no terms related to a cessation of hostilities or a reduction in violence \u2014 adding confusion over whether the U.S. ever committed the Taliban to reducing violence on paper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Esper suggested Thursday at the Pentagon that Taliban commitments to continue a reduction in violence were potentially laid out in the classified annexes of the deal not accessible to the public.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told CBS recently that the secret portions of the agreement are merely \u201cmilitary implementation documents that are important to protect our soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThere aren\u2019t any side deals,\u201d Pompeo told CBS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Taliban spokesman Muhammad Suhail Shaheen tweeted Wednesday that reports of a classified deal between the U.S. and Taliban were not true. The Taliban spokesman said there is only the publicly available deal and an \u201cenforcement mechanism&#8221; document.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Intra-Afghan negotiations are slated to kick of March 10 that could lead to a comprehensive ceasefire with the Taliban.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, a disagreement over a prisoner exchange could derail the talks. On Friday, Shaheen tweeted that the Taliban were ready to kick of intra-Afghan talks on March 10 if Taliban prisoners are released.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/news\/your-military\/2020\/03\/04\/us-resumes-airstrikes-against-taliban\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"157\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/A-10s_Afghanistan_11-13-19.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">US resumes airstrikes against Taliban to halt attack on Afghan forces<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">The U.S. carried out an airstrike against Taliban forces preparing to attack an Afghan checkpoint today, a U.S. military spokesman announced.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cOur negotiation team and agenda are ready and will go ahead as agreed,\u201d Shaheen said. \u201cIf the negotiations are delayed beyond the stated date, the responsibility will rest with the others.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On Thursday, Pompeo said the uptick in violence was unacceptable but he called on both sides to remove barriers and begin intra-Afghan talks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cAnd while a reduction in violence is paramount, we also continue to press all sides to stop posturing, start a practical discussion about prisoner releases, knuckle down and prepare for the upcoming intra-Afghan negotiations,\u201d Pompeo said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe have to get our people back home. It\u2019s not fair. We\u2019re a police force over there. We\u2019re maintaining things. Eventually, we have to leave,\u201d Trump said at the Fox News town hall Thursday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There are 13,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan. U.S. forces have started drawing down to 8,600. American forces are supposed to withdraw all troops in 14 months if the Taliban live up to its commitments in the agreement with the U.S.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u201cWe have to get our people back home.  It\u2019s not fair.  We\u2019re a police force over there. We\u2019re maintaining things.  Eventually, we have to leave.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":52335,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":"","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"","_acf":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":8,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_smg_distribution_targets":[]},"categories":[101,8,23,92,93,12,25,67],"tags":[],"coauthors":[3398],"class_list":["post-24579","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-daily-news-roundup","category-flashpoints","category-home","category-left-column","category-middle-column","category-news","category-newsletters","category-pentagon-congress"],"acf":{"subheadline":"","legacy_arc_id":"CLQVIG7IAJAQBFQ553S5X2UHCA","arc_canonical_url":"\/flashpoints\/2020\/03\/06\/trump-says-taliban-could-possibly-overrun-afghan-government\/","remove_feature_photo":true,"is_sponsored":false,"subtype":"","redirect_url":"","disable_inline_ads":false,"native_logo_pretext":"Presented By:"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.0 (Yoast SEO v28.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Trump says Taliban could possibly overrun Afghan government - Marine Corps Times<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"\u201cWe have to get our people back home. 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