Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Sunday defended President Trump’s surprising decision to cancel a secret meeting with Taliban leaders at Camp David.
Pompeo explained to CNN host Jake Tapper on State of the Union that the cancellation came after the Taliban claimed responsibility for a suicide attack in Kabul, Afghanistan, that killed a dozen people, including an American soldier, earlier this week.
“It was the case that when the Taliban tried to gain a negotiating advantage by conducting terror attacks inside the country, President Trump made the right decision to walk away,” Pompeo said. “It made no sense for the Taliban to be rewarded for that kind of bad behavior.”
Tapper then noted the Taliban have conducted frequent suicide attacks in Afghanistan since the United States invaded the country shortly after the 9/11 attacks.
“What is different about the murder of the 16th U.S. service member this year as opposed to the previous 15?” Tapper asked.
Pompeo noted that the U.S. has not been “standing still” while American troops have died, saying that more than 1,000 Taliban militants were killed in just the last 10 days.
“The American people should know we’re going to defend American national interests,” Pompeo said. “We’re going to be tough and making sure we put pressure on all the powers, all the risks.”
Tapper said in response that had a Democratic president invited Taliban leaders to U.S. soil the week of the 9/11 anniversary, Pompeo would probably have been troubled.
“I can’t help but think that if a Democratic president had talked about having the Taliban come to Camp David to negotiate a peace process that was not already a done deal, that you as a congressman, as a soldier, as a veteran, as a West Point graduate, that you would be rather upset,” Tapper said.
Pompeo reasserted his confidence in Trump’s willingness to negotiate peace talks with the Taliban and said he’s been “fully supportive of this effort.”
