Unpacking Trump’s Afghanistan Missteps

Donald Trump’s plan for Afghanistan was to pull U.S. troops out and end the long war, but it fell apart, leaving the country unstable. The Afghan government collapsed, and the Taliban took over in August 2021.

Here’s why it went wrong:

1. Leaving Out the Afghan Government

What Happened: Trump’s team made the Doha Agreement (February 29, 2020) with the Taliban, ignoring the Afghan government.

Why It Didn’t Work: This move undercut the Afghan government’s power and left it out of the loop, creating a gap the Taliban could exploit.

Result: Afghan forces felt deserted, and the government wasn’t ready to fight alone, speeding its downfall.

2. Strict Deadline Without a Safety Net

What Happened: The deal locked in a U.S. exit date (first May 2021, later August 2021 under Biden), no matter the conditions.

Why It Didn’t Work: The set timeline told everyone U.S. help was ending soon, and it didn’t force the Taliban to keep the peace.

Result: Afghan troops lost hope, and the Taliban waited it out, then swept in after the U.S. left.

3. Cutting U.S. Military Backup

What Happened: The U.S. scaled back air support to stick to the deal, limiting help to Afghan forces.

Why It Didn’t Work: Afghan soldiers depended on U.S. airstrikes to stop the Taliban; without them, they couldn’t hold ground.

Result: The Afghan army fell apart fast, unable to fend off Taliban attacks.

4. Choosing Exit Over stability of Afghanistan

What Happened: Trump cared more about getting U.S. troops home than making Afghanistan stable.

Why It Didn’t Work: The plan skipped fixing big problems like weak leadership and corruption, focusing only on leaving.

Result: Afghanistan wasn’t ready to stand on its own, and the Taliban stepped in when the U.S. stepped out.

5. Hidden Deal Details

What Happened: The Doha Agreement had secret parts—conditions only Congress saw, not the public.

Why It Didn’t Work: These unclear terms muddled what the U.S. expected, possibly weakening the plan’s follow-through.

Result: Confusion may have messed up teamwork with allies and Afghanistan, adding to the mess.

6. Misjudging the Taliban

What Happened: Trump’s team thought the Taliban would talk peace with the Afghan government and stick to the deal.

Why It Didn’t Work: The Taliban used the talks to stall and gain ground, proving stronger than anticipated.

Result: They ignored peace efforts and took over once the U.S. was gone.

7. How It Played Out

Deal Set (2020): The Doha Agreement planned a U.S. pullout within 14 months, cutting troops to 2,500 by early 2021.

Confidence Crashed: Afghan forces lost faith as U.S. aid dropped, worsened by their government’s exclusion.

Taliban Took Over: With the U.S. leaving, the Taliban grabbed territory fast in 2021, hitting Kabul in August.

Endgame: The capital fell, wiping out 20 years of U.S.-supported rule.

Bigger Picture

8. Trump’s Aim & Political Push: : He wanted to stop “forever wars,” viewing Afghanistan as a money pit ($27 billion a year by 2017).

Pressure to bring troops home drove the rush, overshadowing a solid plan.

9. Split Fault: Trump started it, but Biden’s handling of the exit also got flak for being sloppy.

10. Bottom Line

Trump’s Afghanistan policy flopped because it chased a fast U.S. exit instead of a strong Afghanistan. Skipping the Afghan government, slashing support, and locking in a deadline without peace guarantees left the country exposed. The Taliban seized the chance, proving the strategy’s focus on leaving—not lasting peace—was its fatal mistake.