In August 2021, Americans and the world watched in horror as Afghanistan collapsed almost overnight. After two decades of U.S. involvement, the Taliban swept back into power, and desperate Afghans clung to departing aircraft—some falling to their deaths in a final, haunting image of America’s retreat.

President Joe Biden’s chaotic withdrawal was met with fury—condemned as reckless, incompetent, and, in some corners, outright treasonous.

Now, barely three years later, history threatens to repeat itself in Ukraine. With whispers of withdrawing support for Kyiv, President Donald Trump stands at the precipice of another American abandonment—one that could hand victory to an adversary even more dangerous than the Taliban.

Afghanistan: A Retreat Turned Rout

Biden’s withdrawal from Afghanistan was meant to end America’s longest war, but instead, it became a global humiliation. The Taliban overran the country in days, U.S. military equipment fell into enemy hands, and thousands of Afghans who worked alongside American forces were left behind to face near-certain retribution.

The worst part? Biden had months to prepare—and still botched the exit.

Critics across the political spectrum called it a betrayal. Some, including Republican lawmakers, went further—accusing Biden of treason.

Senator Josh Hawley declared:

“Biden’s retreat from Afghanistan is the worst foreign policy disaster in a generation. He abandoned allies, betrayed American servicemen, and handed the Taliban victory. This is disgraceful and treasonous.”

Trump himself slammed Biden, insisting that his own withdrawal plan was far more structured—prioritizing:

  1. Evacuating American civilians and diplomats first.
  2. Extracting Afghan collaborators and military equipment.
  3. Removing U.S. troops last.

Yet the bottom line remains: America walked away from Afghanistan, and its ally fell.

Ukraine: The Next Great Abandonment?

Now, Trump faces the same test—this time in Ukraine.

With U.S. aid packages stalled in Congress and Republicans growing skeptical of supporting Kyiv, America’s commitment to Ukraine is faltering. In fact, the GOP’s official stance refuses to acknowledge that Russia is the aggressor—a stunning departure from basic historical reality.

Let’s be crystal clear:

  • Russia violated international law by invading Ukraine in 2022.
  • U.N. Resolutions in 2022 and 2023 demanded Russia’s withdrawal.
  • Putin ignored them.

Any doublespeak from the Trump administration that tries to shift blame onto Ukraine is a pathetic attempt to rewrite history.

The stakes are even higher than in Afghanistan. Russia isn’t a ragtag insurgency—it’s a nuclear-armed superpower with territorial ambitions beyond Ukraine. If the U.S. abandons Kyiv, the war won’t just end—it will expand.

And yet, the same voices that blasted Biden for leaving Afghanistan now push for abandoning Ukraine:

  • Trump, who excoriated Biden for “surrendering,” now questions if America should support Ukraine at all.
  • House Republicans, who raged against the Afghanistan withdrawal, now actively block aid to Kyiv.
  • Conservative media figures, who called Biden weak, now demand Trump pull out of Ukraine completely as a show of strength.

The hypocrisy is staggering.

If abandoning Afghanistan was treason, why is abandoning Ukraine “pragmatic”?

If Biden was a traitor for one retreat, how is Trump a hero for another?

Trump’s Own Betrayals—And the Lack of Outrage

For all the fury over Biden’s handling of Afghanistan, let’s not forget:

Trump himself has a long track record of betraying U.S. allies.

1. The Abandonment of the Kurds (2019)

In 2019, Trump withdrew U.S. troops from northern Syria, abandoning Kurdish fighters who had been America’s most reliable partners against ISIS.

The result?

  • Turkey launched an immediate invasion, displacing thousands of Kurds.
  • ISIS prisoners escaped from detention camps, reviving the terrorist threat.
  • Even Republicans condemned Trump, with Senator Lindsey Graham calling it “the biggest mistake of his presidency.”

Yes, Trump was criticized—but the backlash was a whisper compared to the fury Biden faced over Afghanistan.

No mainstream voices called Trump treasonous.

No congressional hearings branded him a national security threat.

His betrayal was excused as an ‘America First’ policy.

2. The Taliban Deal (2020)

Before Biden even took office, Trump cut a deal with the Taliban, signing an agreement in February 2020 that:

  • Excluded the Afghan government from negotiations, undercutting U.S. allies.
  • Freed 5,000 Taliban prisoners, many of whom returned to the battlefield.
  • Set the stage for the rapid Taliban takeover the moment U.S. troops left.

And yet, Trump faced no lasting political damage.

When Biden followed through on the withdrawal Trump had set in motion, only Biden bore the blame.

America’s Foreign Policy: A Double Standard

America’s commitment to its allies is not based on principle.

It is based on political convenience.

  • When a Democratic president withdraws, it’s treason.
  • When a Republican president abandons allies, it’s America First.
  • When Biden left Afghanistan, it was weakness.
  • When Trump wants to leave Ukraine, it’s common sense.

This hypocrisy does more than expose partisan double standards—it damages U.S. credibility.

  • If allies believe American support is fleeting, why should they risk survival by trusting Washington?
  • If Ukraine is abandoned, what message does that send to Taiwan? NATO? Every nation relying on U.S. security guarantees?

It tells them America is a fair-weather friend.

The United States can either stand by its allies or prove to the world that American loyalty is conditional—offered when convenient, rescinded when difficult.

If abandoning Afghanistan was a disaster, abandoning Ukraine will be a catastrophe.

And those who cheered for one and condemned the other deserve to be called out and remembered for their hypocrisy.