Rep. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) is shown in his official press photo. (Markwayne Mullin)
Mullin’s behavior has alarmed top U.S. officials who say he has gone to extraordinary lengths to defy U.S. warnings. The attempt follows another unauthorized trip to Afghanistan by Reps. Seth Moulton, D-Mass, and Peter Meijer, R-Mich., last week, which Pentagon and State Department officials criticized as a public relations stunt that sapped government resources during a national-security crisis.
The remaining U.S. troops in Afghanistan left on Monday, bringing an end to America’s longest war. The U.S. military helped evacuate more than 120,000 people, including U.S. citizens, allies and at-risk Afghans. Secretary of State Tony Blinken said Monday that fewer than 200 American citizens remain in Afghanistan. The department suspended embassy operations and relocated its mission to Qatar, where diplomats are trying to find ways for the remaining Americans and at-risk Afghans in the country to leave.
