Biden ‘Too Fatigued’ to Take Critical Call Before Afghanistan Disaster?

A damning new report reveals that President Joe Biden skipped a crucial call from a top Democrat just days before his catastrophic Afghanistan withdrawal, raising fresh concerns about his mental and physical fitness for office.

The Wall Street Journal exposé paints a shocking picture of a president shielded from key responsibilities as chaos unfolded on his watch.

Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.), the powerful chair of the House Armed Services Committee, repeatedly tried to contact Biden in 2021 to warn him about the risks of the withdrawal. Smith believed the administration was dangerously optimistic about the pullout’s challenges and wanted to share his grim assessment.

“I was begging them to set expectations low,” Smith told the Journal. But Biden never took the call. According to insiders, the president’s aides kept him insulated, citing his inability to handle demanding engagements.

The results were disastrous. When the withdrawal was executed in August 2021, it became a global spectacle of failure. Thirteen U.S. service members and over 170 Afghan civilians were killed in a chaotic airport bombing. Meanwhile, billions of dollars in U.S. military equipment fell into the hands of the Taliban, who quickly seized control of the country.

Smith later slammed the administration for lacking a “clear-eyed view” of Afghanistan’s fragile state. But his warnings fell on deaf ears. “It was clear they weren’t prepared for the collapse,” he said.

Even after the debacle, Biden’s administration refused to take full responsibility. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, furious over Smith’s public criticism, reportedly lashed out at the congressman in a tense phone call. Smith pushed back, and Blinken eventually admitted blame for the withdrawal’s failures.

Biden himself didn’t address Smith’s concerns until much later, apologizing in what the Journal described as the only direct call the president made to Smith during his entire presidency.

The report highlights troubling signs of Biden’s cognitive decline. Staff routinely delayed or canceled meetings based on his energy levels. A national security official revealed in spring 2021: “He has good days and bad days, and today was a bad day.”

This isn’t the first time Biden’s stamina has been questioned. During his 2020 campaign, aides admitted he struggled to function outside a limited six-hour window. Critics have long speculated about his fitness, and the Afghanistan debacle only amplified those doubts.

The botched withdrawal has become a defining stain on Biden’s presidency, fueling bipartisan outrage and devastating his approval ratings. It also became a central talking point for President-elect Donald Trump, who blasted Biden’s leadership as weak and incompetent throughout his 2024 campaign.

Biden’s decision to ignore warnings, shield himself from accountability, and fumble a critical moment in U.S. history has left a legacy of chaos — one that critics say perfectly encapsulates his presidency.