President Donald Trump told a female reporter from Afghanistan during his news conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday that he couldn't answer her question due to her accent.
Afghanistan rapidly fell to Taliban radicals in 2021 after two decades of U.S. occupation to try to rebuild the country's government as a functional democracy following the 9/11 attacks. Since taking over, the Taliban have reasserted many of their old theocratic policies, with women being denied a growing number of rights, including a full education, as well as being physically and visually segregated.
"You have any plan to change Afghanistan's situation? Are you able to recognize Taliban?" the reporter asked him. "Because I'm an Afghan journalist ... any comment about Afghanistan, what's your future plan for the Afghan people?"
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"I'm having a little hard time understanding you," said Trump. "Where are you from?"
"Afghanistan," she said, with some of her fellows in the press pool echoing her words.
"Actually, it’s a beautiful voice and a beautiful accent. The only problem is I can't understand a word you're saying. But, but I just say this. Good luck. Live in peace."
Trump has frequently blamed former President Joe Biden for the rapid resurgence of the Taliban, even though the withdrawal of U.S. troops from the region was negotiated by Trump himself near the end of his first term.
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