Biden officials do not comment after WVNG shooting during Operation Allies Welcome

Former high-ranking officials in the Biden administration remain tight-lipped about their stance on the vetting process established for Operation Welcoming Allies, which was the Afghan resettlement program reportedly utilized by individuals suspected in a recent National Guard attack in the U.S.

This tragic incident, which resulted in the death of a soldier from the West Virginia National Guard and serious injuries to another on Thanksgiving Eve, sparked renewed scrutiny last week. House Homeland Security Committee ranking member Bennie Thompson, a Democrat from Mississippi, criticized Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem for labeling the event an “unfortunate accident.”

Following the attack, concerns arose about whether Democrats still back the vetting protocols set by the prior administration, raising questions about potential changes to those procedures among the officials involved in last year’s withdrawal from Afghanistan and the resettlement process.

Fox News Digital reached out to various Biden administration officials connected either directly or indirectly to the Afghan exit and refugee resettlement, but many inquiries went unanswered. For instance, both former President Joe Biden and former Vice President Kamala Harris didn’t respond to requests for comments, including a follow-up message to Harris’ literary agent.

Attempts to get statements from retired General Mark Milley, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, were also met with silence, even as he had played a key role in advising President Biden. Despite not being responsible for direct operational decisions, Milley had suggested maintaining a smaller troop presence of around 2,500 in Afghanistan.

Reaching out to General Kenneth “Frank” McKenzie, who was the CENTCOM commander at the time, yielded no response either. CENTCOM had oversight of security and evacuation efforts from Kabul’s Hamid Karzai International Airport during the withdrawal.

Messages sent to National Security Adviser Jacob Sullivan and Deputy National Security Adviser John Finer also received no replies. Sullivan, who was instrumental during the withdrawal, faced questions from CNN about feeling “personally responsible for the failures” associated with the departure. He defended Biden’s strategic decisions, arguing that remaining in Afghanistan would have led to more casualties among Americans.

An inquiry sent to former Secretary of State Antony Blinken resulted in a redirect to a spokesperson, who did not respond. Blinken had been heavily involved in the diplomatic dimensions of the withdrawal, helping to navigate agreements and practicalities related to the refugee crisis.

After the shooting incident, U.S. Citizenship Administrator Joe Edlow announced a review of the green card process, triggered by the situation of Rahmanullah Rakanwal, though his predecessor, Ur Jaddu, did not comment on this development.

In efforts to reach other officials, the woman who answered for former Secretary of Defense Gen. Lloyd Austin III said she would relay messages but didn’t guarantee a callback. Austin led the military during the withdrawal and was in a key leadership role.

Fox News Digital also sought responses from various former aides and high-ranking officials, including Tracy Jacobson, who was head of the Afghanistan Coordination Task Force and is currently serving in Dhaka, Bangladesh. None of these attempts met with success.

In a broader context, the incident led Senate Republicans to initiate investigations concerning Biden’s immigration policies. The scrutiny around the vetting procedures in light of this attack continues to grow, pointing to ongoing debates around how the administration has handled refugee intake and safety concerns.