Oklahoma Rep. Mullin, after reported Afghanistan evacuation effort, says he is 'heading home'
Congressman says he went 'dark' because 'it wasn't safe to be communicating'
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Rep. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., whose whereabouts were unknown as he was on a reported trip to rescue Americans from Afghanistan, says he is safe and on his way back to the U.S.
For a period of time Tuesday night, neither House Republican leadership nor Oklahoma's delegation had information about Mullin's status, but he has since posted an update on Instagram explaining why he went off the grid.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"I am heading home," Mullin said in a Wednesday morning post. "Have we been helping get Americans out of Afghanistan, yes. Is the mission continuing, yes. Am I missing, no. Did I go dark for a little, yes because it wasn't safe to be communicating."
Mullin went on to criticize President Biden for his handling of the evacuation of Americans and allies from Afghanistan during the U.S. military's withdrawal, which left more than 100 Americans remaining.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"President Biden and his administration are absolutely lying to the American people about Americans and our friends being left behind," he said.
Mullin's communications director Meredith Blanford said Wednesday that the congressman was never in danger.
"Congressman Mullin has been and is currently completely safe," Blanford said in a statement. "He and the Office of Oklahoma’s Second District will continue to do anything in our power to bring home all Americans from the war zone that President Biden abandoned. The safety and security of the American people will always be his top priority."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Rep. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) asks questions to Dr. Richard Bright, former director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, during a House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health hearing to discuss protecting scientific integrity in response to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak on Capitol Hill in Washington, May 14, 2020. Greg Nash/Pool via REUTERS (Greg Nash/Pool via REUTERS)
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According to a Washington Post report, Mullin had landed in Tajikistan en route to Afghanistan, and ran into trouble at the U.S. embassy there when trying to get a large sum of cash into Afghanistan. Mullin reportedly planned to hire a helicopter to enter Afghanistan and rescue five American citizens – a woman, and her four children, and he sought the ambassador's help, the Washington Post reported. He reportedly sought the ambassador's assistance in bypassing Tajikistan’s laws on cash limits, and allegedly threatened the ambassador and staff when they told him no.
The Georgian Embassy in the U.S. told Fox News that Mullin had been in Tbilisi, Georgia over the weekend.
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It was the second time Mullin attempted to travel into Afghanistan, according to the newspaper. He traveled to Greece last week and asked permission to enter Afghanistan, but the Pentagon denied his request to visit Kabul, an administration official said.
Fox News' Kelly Phares, Chad Pergram, Aishah Hasnie, and David Aaro contributed to this report.