How many Americans are in Afghanistan?

Rapid Response

How many Americans are still trapped in Afghanistan? Concerningly, the number reported by the Biden administration has remained the same for weeks.

On August 30: Secretary of State Antony Blinken: “We believe there are still a small number of Americans – under 200 and likely closer to 100 – who remain in Afghanistan and want to leave.”
On August 31: Joe Biden: “Now we believe that about 100 to 200 Americans remain in Afghanistan with some intention to leave.”
On September 5: White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain: “We believe it's around 100. We're in touch with all of them.”
On September 13: Blinken: “As of the end of last week, we had about 100 American citizens in Afghanistan who had told us that they wished to leave the country.”
Today: Senior State Department Official: There are “in the vicinity of 100” American citizens and lawful permanent residents in Afghanistan who are ready to leave.

The Biden administration reported that the Taliban has permitted some flights with Americans to leave, and yet the number trapped in Afghanistan has stayed the same.

That just doesn’t add up, and the 100 number the Biden administration is providing doesn’t square with reporting, nor does it seem to account for the thousands of green card holders in Afghanistan.

Today I met a U.S. passport holder who lives in New York.

Also spoke with a U.S. resident and Uber driver who lives in Connecticut. He is trying to leave with his young children. The kids all hold American passports.
— Trey Yingst (@TreyYingst) September 27, 2021

We've interviewed many of these people on-camera and have included them in our reporting. Not to mention the thousands of American visa holders, U.S. military translators and embassy workers still trying to make it out.
— Trey Yingst (@TreyYingst) September 27, 2021

Joe Biden promised to stay in Afghanistan until every American was safely evacuated – he lied. Now, his administration is muddying the true number of Americans Biden left behind.

We’ve only heard lie after lie, and broken promise after broken promise from Biden and his administration on Afghanistan. Americans deserve the truth.