One of the most glaring examples of failed leadership under the Biden-Harris administration was the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan. Despite numerous warnings to scale down its embassy presence as it became clear the Taliban would quickly regain control, the State Department refused to act. At the time of the withdrawal, it was one of the largest U.S. embassies in the world. As the military was ordered to withdraw before the embassy had been closed, Americans and U.S. allies were left stranded. National Security Council meeting notes later revealed that the U.S. government had not yet finalized who would be eligible for evacuation or secured third-party transit countries, even as the Taliban surrounded Kabul on August 14, 2021.