'Hannity' on Americans trapped in Afghanistan as Taliban take control

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Hannity: Everyone in Afghanistan is at the mercy of the Taliban because of Biden

'Hannity' host has the latest on the situation in Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover

This is a rush transcript from "Hannity," August 18, 2021. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.

SEAN HANNITY, FOX NEWS HOST: All right. And, Tucker, and thank you.

And welcome all to "Hannity" tonight.

An unknown number of -- thousands, perhaps tens of thousands of our fellow Americans, men, women and children, are trapped behind enemy lines all throughout the country of Afghanistan in what is one of the biggest foreign policy debacles and disasters in history of this great republic.

Taliban fighters have encircled the Hamid Karzai International Airport. They are viciously beating, whipping and abducting people that are attempting to gain access to that airport.

But this morning -- well, some hope. The memo from the State Department reading as follows: Alert, U.S. citizens and their spouses, and unmarried children should consider traveling to Karzai International Airport. The memo continues: The United States government cannot ensure a safe passage to the Hamid Karzai International Airport.

For updates, just follow us on Facebook and Twitter and to check your spam folder for messages.

OK. Break this down, we cannot ensure -- go to the airport but we can't ensure your safe passage? And, by the way, follow us on Facebook and Twitter? If that is not one of the most sickening things I've ever heard.

No rescue plan for our fellow Americans? No plan whatsoever? We don't even know how many Americans at this hour are actually behind enemy lines? We don't even know where they all are? God help all of them at this hour.

And today, during a speech, not about Afghanistan, COVID-19, Biden completely ignored the real crisis, the life and death crisis for our fellow Americans in Afghanistan, and as per usual, took no questions at all, I'm sure fearing that his staff might get angry with him.

It's simply spineless. It is pathetic. It is cold. It is out of touch. It is unacceptable of an American president.

Joe Biden, his secretary of state, his defense secretary, his national security advisor -- they have failed our fellow citizens in a way that I never thought I'd witness in my lifetime. His secretary of state, secretary of defense, frankly, they should all resign in disgrace.

General Milley is obviously, completely incompetent, and he needs to go, especially after his comments today.

Anyone else that planned this idiotic, short-sighted withdrawal and failed to see the obvious handwriting that was on the wall, they all need to go and be fired.

Americans now are trapped all over the country and surrounded by terrorists, and the only plan left to get them out is to beg the terrorists to please allow safe passages to people that we know you don't like to the airport.

Listen to what Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin actually said earlier today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REPORTER: You have the capability to out and collect Americans?

LLOYD AUSTIN, DEFENSE SECRETARY: We don't have the capability to go out and collect large numbers of people. It's obvious. We're not close to where we want to be in terms of getting numbers through. So, we're going to work that 24 hours a day, seven days a week. And we're going to get everyone that we can possibly evacuate, evacuated. And I'll do that as long as we possibly can until the clock runs out or we will run out of capability.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANNITY: This is insane. This is madness. No capability whatsoever? Not even a commitment to try and rescue and do everything within our power to help our fellow Americans? Did you not plan for this, Lloyd Austin? Apparently not.

And make no mistake: this situation tonight at this hour is dire. The Taliban -- we know the truth -- they are brutal, they are evil, they are terrorists.

By the way, viewer warning, what you are about to see, what we will show you is very graphic. The Afghan woman pictured here was reportedly murdered by the Taliban. Why? She was not wearing a head covering.

Another woman had her eyes gouged out. Why? For having a job as a police officer.

Taliban fighters cut off this woman's ears and her nose after she attempted to flee from her husband who she was forced to marry when she was only a child.

And as we speak, Taliban fighters, they're now going door to door forcing young women, little girls to be their sex slaves and marry their, quote, fighters.

Afghan interpreters, former Afghan military personnel, their families, they are now being executed. Some are being hung. Some dismembered. Some shot and some beheaded.

Look at your screen, the Taliban even opened fire on a group of protesters flying the Afghan flag. Around the airport, more scenes of carnage, women and children beaten, shot and stabbed. This is the airport where we can't guarantee safe passage to but we urge you to go to.

One Taliban fighter was pictured whipping people, trying to get to the airport. This man was actually kicked in the face abducted on the back of a pickup truck.

One CNN producer was attacked and almost pistol-whipped. Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CLARISSA WARD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The most frightening moment for our team came when our producer Brent Swales (ph) was taking some video on his iPhone. Two Taliban fighters just came up with their pistols and they were ready to pistol whip him and we had to intervene and scream and it was actually another Taliban fighter who came in and said, no, no, no, don't do that. They're journalists.

But -- I mean, really, you know -- I've covered all sorts of crazy situations. This was mayhem. This was nuts.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANNITY: More horrible news tonight. We lost contact with one individual providing FOX News with images from outside of the airport.

His last message to us reads as follows: Today, I was trying to take a video. I was close to the airport the Taliban saw me, they took my mobile phone and they beat me very bad.

At the walls of the airport, even more heartbreaking scenes. Look at this, according to "The Daily Mail", we have Afghan women begging to be let in.

And look at this others pictured attempting to pass their babies over a wall in tall razor wire, even throwing them over in a desperate attempt to save the lives of their children. Just think for a moment how desperate, how hopeless a parent must be to go to that length. They know what awaits their children if they don't get out, but they know better than to trust the Taliban.

Now, what we're witnessing here is chaos and carnage surrounded by terrorists. We have Americans behind enemy lines, how many we can't tell you, all at the utter mercy of the Taliban as thousands of Americans, our allies, our Afghan partners, all trapped behind these enemy lines. Every single life is at risk and every American's life is hanging in the balance and the worst part of all of this, it was all easily preventable.

Everyone knew what was happening when American forces began the pull out.

Remember what Donald Trump said to us last night, based on conditions on the ground. Also a very firm warning and threat by President Trump that if harm came to one American, hell hath no fury.

And what happened when Donald Trump defeated ISIS and the caliphate, it would be far worse in terms of the magnitude of America's response. That was his warning.

The Taliban were making rapid gains. Last week we're reporting, oh, how did they get 60 percent of the country? Then, 70 percent. Then, 80 percent.

They had weeks to witness the move of the Taliban and what was unfolding before the world. Biden could have slowed. He could have paused. He could have down -- drawn down at any point in April. He could have done it in May. He could have done it in June. He could have done it in July, even the beginning of August.

At the very least, we could have held on to the Bagram Air Base until every American in that country was out of that country. That alone told the entire story.

And when does the military ever leave before every American citizen is first taken out before they leave.

And between last Friday and this Monday, what did the administration do to stop the Taliban from taking Kabul, did they do anything? No, Joe was on vacation and Jen Psaki was out of the office, not responding.

And now, the entire country has fallen, thousands of Americans are trapped. There's no plan for their rescue when these Americans eventually get home. And we pray they all get home. Sadly, it will have nothing to do with Joe Biden because tonight their lives are basically hanging in the balance on the compassion of the Taliban, if you could ever imagine.

Everyone in Afghanistan is now at the mercy of the Taliban. Joe Biden, seemingly, care less. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS, ABC NEWS ANCHOR: When you look at what's happened over the last week, was it a failure of intelligence, planning execution or judgment?

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Look, I don't think it was a fail -- look, it was a simple choice, George.

STEPHANOPOULOS: We've all seen the pictures. We've seen those hundreds of people packed into a C-17. We've seen Afghans falling --

BIDEN: That was four days ago, five days ago.

STEPHANOPOULOS: What did you think when you first saw those pictures?

BIDEN: Well, I thought was -- we have to gain control of this. We have to move this more quickly. We have to move in a way in which we can take control that airport. And we did.

STEPHANOPOULOS: So you don't think this could have been handled, this actually could have been handled better in any way? No mistakes?

BIDEN: No, I don't think it could have been handled in a way that there -- we're going to go back in hindsight and look -- but the idea that somehow, there's a way to have gotten out without chaos ensuing, I don't know how that happens. I don't know how that happened.

STEPHANOPOULOS: So, for you, that was always priced into the decision?

BIDEN: Yes.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANNITY: Takes no blame.

Now, Joe, let me ask you -- when you saw that the Taliban was on the march and they took over 10 percent of the country, does that not provide you an opportunity to act? Could you not have responded then when you had an opportunity?

Twenty percent of the country, 30 percent of the country, 40 percent of the country -- Taliban's on the march, Joe, I know you were on vacation. When it got really bad and paid no attention when -- those hours mattered the most at that point because you let it get to that point. But you couldn't get out without the chaos?

What if you would have followed Donald Trump's model that he used with ISIS to defeat the caliphate and bomb them to smithereens pretty much.

Thousands of Americans, thousands of our fellow Americans and friends and allies might soon perish frankly because of Joe Biden. He doesn't seem to care less -- I don't know, nothing I could have done. Well, I guess he doesn't care or has no clue. We'll let you decide.

Maybe the media mob will finally wake up to the fact that this president is a complete, total, cognitive mess. Maybe a tough tweet from somebody like President Trump who they feared, respected and believed would act wouldn't be so bad in a moment like this, although it never would have come to this.

This last year, year and a half, not a single American died in Afghanistan. He warned them what the consequences would be if one American died, if they showed any geographical ambition.

This has got to be dealt with. Joe Biden clearly not up to this job and the world knows it, and what's worse than that is every hostile regime -- Putin knows it, Xi knows it, the mullahs in Iran know it, Kim Jong-un knows it and obviously the Taliban know it.

Let's pray for those now in Afghanistan who have been abandoned and deserted and left to fend for themselves, we cannot guarantee safe passage but we urge you to try and make your way to the Karzai International Airport.

Joining us now is an American. He's trapped in Afghanistan desperately trying to get out. We have decided not to show his face not to name him because his life would then be in serious risk at this point if his identity is exposed to the Taliban. He now joins us.

Sir, thank you for being with us.

Can you tell us what is going on now and what you see unfolding?

AMERICAN STRANDED IN AFGHANISTAN (via telephone): Good evening, sir. (INAUDIBLE) to get out from Afghanistan and head back home. So, we tried to go there with the family. Unfortunately, we couldn't make it because when we reach there, we see thousands and thousand of people fighting. We tried to get closer, but unfortunately, we got fast (ph) with the Taliban and they just come in front of us and put the camera on my chest (ph) and said get lost, get out here, rather than even trying to fight it. And I really scared, you know, I was really frustrated and wondering.

Finally (INAUDIBLE) thousand and thousand people were on the line, and I see there was no way to get here. And (INAUDIBLE) finally say back home and waiting for what to do and how to get out of here to make it back home.

HANNITY: Sir, it's -- we have a little bit hard time hearing you but I've been able to pick up an awful lot. Our thoughts and prayers are with you. May get home safely, may God guide you home safely. We're praying for you and your family and every other person behind enemy lines tonight.

There were so many gut-wrenching scenes out of Afghanistan that many are drawing comparisons to the fall of Saigon in '75, but to be very honest, it's far worse.

Let me give you this viewer warning. Some of what you're about to see is incredibly graphic. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, POLITICAL AD)

REPORTER: See any parallels between this withdrawal and what happened in Vietnam with some people feeling --

BIDEN: None whatsoever, zero. There's going to be no circumstance where you see people being lifted off the roof of a embassy in the of the United States from Afghanistan.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Helicopters and black smoke visible, American diplomats including the ambassador evacuated to the airport. At least 500 staff leaving the country so far, the embassy shuttered, the flag coming down.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The evacuation of Americans is continuing tonight but it has been interrupted by sporadic gunfire the embassy telling Americans to shelter in place.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANNITY: Here with reaction, Donald Trump Jr. is with us.

I saw the president's schedule today and that was about COVID, no questions, no discussions, no updates, no plan, nothing at all to help our fellow Americans. And by the way, the interpreters and all the people that we promised if this day ever came, we would -- we would protect them and get them out of there. Not necessarily bring them here, but we would bring them to safety. None of that has happened.

Your reaction?

DONALD TRUMP, JR., SON OF FORMER PRES. TRUMP: Well, I'm surprised they didn't do the press conference from an ice cream shop, Sean, because that's all he's been capable of doing. But it's an absolute embarrassment.

The reality is this, as far as I am aware, Joe Biden has created the largest hostage situation perhaps in the history of the world. If we have between 10,000 and 40,000 Americans blockaded off from an airport that our embassy -- now, when we say embassy, we have to use air quotes, Sean, because the embassy has fallen to the Taliban.

So a bureaucrat from D.C. is saying they can't guarantee their safety, but they should get there anyway.

They've been blockaded by the Taliban. They're trapped by a terrorist regime. This is arguably the largest hostage situation in history. And it's all on Joe Biden.

He took my father's plan and he wanted to change it because he wanted to make it his own he wanted to be the one to get credit.

So rather than doing it in the late spring before the fighting season and using your brain and knowledge and listening to the guys that are the door kickers, not the generals that have been too busy worrying about critical race theory and learning about white rage which no one had ever heard of prior to last week, he didn't. He wanted to make it his own so he could get credit.

And he made stupid decisions and now, he owns all of it. And he owns the largest hostage situation I have ever heard of. And I imagine that anyone else has ever heard of.

HANNITY: You know, I had Mark Meadows. He's one of a few sources that I have that confirmed to me a phone call that your father had when he spoke the first time to the Taliban leader.

And in essence -- and your dad kind of confirmed it when he was on the show last night. The call went something like this -- you saw what I did to the caliphate, you saw how I destroyed them in record time, let me be very clear, if any -- if any comma is missed, any dot to any agreement you violate, if any harm comes to any one American, what you saw in my defeat of the caliphate will be nothing in comparison.

And then apparently, your father said, do you understand me? He said that. He said these words, do you fully understand what I am telling you what will happen? Apparently, they said -- then your father said and kind of Trumpian form, okay, now, we can begin our negotiations.

That was confirmed to me by numerous people. I doubt Joe Biden had that as part of his plan.

TRUMP JR.: No, Joe Biden got rid of all contingencies. Had they violated any of those things, they would have been droning them on the roads coming in there. But Joe Biden didn't want to do that. Joe Biden again, he wanted it on his own.

But the difference primarily, Sean, and we know this -- we understand that the Taliban, they understand strength, they understand resolve, and they look at Joe Biden and they know he has none of those things. The man cannot walk up a flight of stairs, the man cannot get through a sentence. He can't answer questions from a press corps that is effectively his marketing department and has been for the Democrats for the last few decades.

Donald Trump was not afraid to take those questions, whether it was during COVID or any other time. He would get up there and answer them for hours.

Joe Biden can't be bothered. He could barely be bothered to take a few minutes off of his vacation while the world burns and that's the difference.

The Taliban know that. They're going to take advantage of it. And guess what, Sean? They're not the only ones going to take advantage of it because our enemies and our allies alike are watching. They watch Joe Biden turn their backs on not only Americans but our allies.

China is chomping at the bit because whatever their schedule was to take over Taiwan, it just accelerated rapidly. They know and our allies know that America can't be counted on to have their backs anymore because you have weak and feckless leaders like Joe Biden, empty suits, pretty much empty brains, making the decisions and or listening to generals that have simply focused on being woke rather than doing their damn jobs.

And it's a disgrace and it shouldn't be happening in this country.

HANNITY: I couldn't say it any better. Donald Trump Jr., thank you.

Joining us with more reaction, Senator Lindsey Graham.

Senator, I happen to be privy to a conversation that you had with President Trump and you were very passionately talking to the president at the time about the need to keep minimal forces and how this -- how to properly withdraw and keep -- prevent things like this from happening and keep the gains that were made in place.

You successfully came to an agreement.

SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R-SC): Right.

HANNITY: This is not what Donald Trump handed -- Joe Biden's blaming Donald Trump. This is not the plan you and Donald Trump agreed to.

GRAHAM: No, this is all on President Biden. He's done two very -- he took the most dangerous and dishonorable path available. He ignored sound military advice. There is no plan to get U.S. citizens outside of Kabul into Kabul, and once they get to Kabul, there's no plan to make the Taliban to let them through.

But here's what I take today from the news conference, that we've just issued a death sentence to all those who fought with us in Afghanistan. It is clear to me they're resetting the table here and they're trying to move the ball and say, we're going to focus on American citizens and we're going to leave behind the thousands of Afghans who honorably fought along our side. That's what they're saying today.

So, two things have happened here. One, the chance of another 9/11 is tenfold because of the way Biden has handled this, and the chance of other people helping us in the future after this debacle is almost zero.

So, Joe Biden and apparently our generals and our secretary of defense are willing to sacrifice all those who helped us because they don't have the will or determination to get them out.

HANNITY: Senator, I want -- I want to ask you this because we have untold thousands of Americans now behind enemy lines and, yes, those that assisted America, those interpreters, those people that we promised -- God forbid it ever comes to this -- we will protect you. They're not being protected.

GRAHAM: Yeah.

HANNITY: But I don't see any military option, because every American then would become a human shield and I don't even want to describe what we both know would happen. There's no military option, Senator. You need -- we're at the mercy of the Taliban now.

GRAHAM: Well, well, change it. You don't have to be at the mercy of the Taliban. My God, you don't think we can beat these guys if we want to?

Here's what I would do if I were president United States. I would tell the Pentagon to give me a safe corridor passage plan for every corner of Afghanistan. I would tell the Taliban, we're bringing every American home. They're coming from every corner of Afghanistan, if you get in the way that will be a hostile act against the United States and we will use military force.

I would tell them the same about the interpreters and all those who helped us. We don't have to accept this.

HANNITY: All right. Senator Lindsey Graham, we appreciate you being with us. We're praying for our fellow Americans.

When we come back, the great one, Mark Levin, has some very strong words for Joe Biden, his disastrous plan. Americans now behind enemy lines, how do we get them out? How do we bring them home? Straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HANNITY: Now, amid Biden's undeniable dereliction of duty in Afghanistan, even some of the media mob, they're being forced to face reality. That's not stopping some Democrats from trying to claim he's actually doing a great job.

For example, embattled Governor Gavin Newsom said Monday, he's incredibly proud of President Biden.

Speaker Pelosi even had the audacity to claim that Biden's withdrawal was strong and decisive.

Nancy, sell that line of Adam Schiff to any of the thousands of Americans behind enemy lines in Afghanistan tonight that we can't protect because of Biden's decisive action.

Here for reaction, author of the huge bestseller, now almost a million copies sold, number one uh as of today for the fifth consecutive week, number one on amazon.com for the fifth -- well, actually sixth consecutive week.

I know you -- this isn't about American Marxism, he's also the host of "Life, Liberty, & Levin".

Mark Levin, I never imagined I would be -- we would be seeing this in our lifetime: Americans caught behind enemy lines, we had all the time in the world to see this unfolding and they did nothing, and they allowed it to happen and now we are at the mercy of the Taliban because I don't see any good military option, Mark Levin.

MARK LEVIN, FOX NEWS HOST, "LIFE, LIBERTY & LEVIN": You know, if Nancy Pelosi thinks that Biden's done such a great job, I have a suggestion for her -- why doesn't she trade places with any woman in Afghanistan and let's see then if she thinks Biden has done such a great job. And where all these women's rights groups and all the people that went after Kavanaugh, where are they today? Notice how quiet they -- by the way, have you heard anything from Chuck Schumer? I haven't heard a damn thing from him.

The vast majority of the Democrats are either praising Biden or they're not saying a thing. That's really quite outrageous.

I have another question, who's running this government? I mean, Joe Biden's at camp David for most of the time. He doesn't take a single question, doesn't make himself available today. It was a another huge embarrassment - - well, he's trashing Republicans.

Why doesn't he treat the Taliban the way he treats Republicans? That would be refreshing.

And where's the vice president of the United States? We haven't seen her for a week.

Who's running this damn government? The president, the vice president? Nobody. And I think that's very important.

And as far as General Austin, General Milley are concerned, you know, their departments are leaking to "The New York Times", they told Biden this, and Milley told Biden, and Austin told Biden -- well, then, resign. Well, resign.

If you think what's going on is so horrible and you don't want any role in it, you've got a role in it. For all history, for all military history, Austin and Milley are going to go down in history as disasters.

What happened to those 489 generals, admirals and national security advisers in both parties who said vote for Biden against Trump? They'll go down on history too.

Where's Mattis and Kelly today? I don't know. They're nowhere.

Now, we're negotiating with the Taliban. What exactly are we negotiating with the Taliban? Well, the release of American citizens. And what are we prepared to give them?

You see, there's really only two ways out of this, Sean Hannity, and that's this -- we crush these bastards like the cockroach as they are for a few days, use our military might, expand that area around the airport and tell them you lay one finger on one hair on American citizen, we will track you down for the rest of time.

Nobody believes Joe Biden has the stomach for that.

So what's the other -- the other way? To pay `em off, like he used the Iranians. He's paying off the Iranians. He's already gotten billions of dollars to the Iranians to negotiate and delay so they can get nuclear weapons.

Well, the Iranians are now probably working with the Taliban telling him this guy's a pushover.

So they're negotiating with the Taliban, what are they negotiating, what are they giving the Taliban? I would love to know.

And for you folks who say a 20-year war, Donald Trump left Afghanistan pretty much neutralized, with 2,500 non-combatant personnel, our Air Force at that air base that the Soviets kindly built for us, intelligence services and about 6,000 to 7,000 NATO forces, for an entire country. That was it, and they were pretty much neutralized, weren't they? We haven't been hit, and we weren't hit, and there hasn't been a single soldier killed in 18 months.

Can't say the same about Chicago where citizens are being killed daily.

Now, that said -- so this so-called 20-year war is now 40-year war. Now the enemy's stronger than ever. They control more of Afghanistan than ever. They've got the best weapons on the face of the earth from us.

You've got al Qaeda on the rise. You got -- you got all these freak show terrorists. They're all going to be collecting in Afghanistan. Maybe they'll try and knock off Pakistan because after all Pakistan has nuclear weapons. That's an easier way to get them than to actually develop them.

They're working with the Chinese communist enemy. They're working with fascistic Putin.

Look what we've done here. We've thrown the whole world in turmoil. Our allies have to be scared to death. Ukraine, Taiwan, what do you think they're thinking today?

And the prime minister of Israel who shouldn't even be the prime minister of Israel, this doofus Naftali Bennett and now he's going to meet next week with Biden to talk about national security? This is the last time Israel should be talking about national security with the Biden administration.

And what about the border? It was bad enough the border was wide open, people coming in illegally, perverts, drug pushers, MS-13, then COVID-19. Our borders open more now than ever before.

So, the rise of the terrorists working with the enemy states that we have to deal with, he should close that damn border, secure the border. It's the least they can do.

And what does he do today? He uses pseudoscience to say children need to wear masks. He says he's telling the Department of Education to undermine Republican governors. He's attacking politically DeSantis and Abbott. This guy's a disaster, he should resign and he won't.

But it's about damn time the Republicans in the House of Representative, oh, used the I-word impeachment. They impeached Trump for nothing, nothing. Look at Joe Biden has unleashed on the American people, in addition to defying a Supreme Court decision. Folks, he needs to be removed and if we can't find Kamala Harris, remove her, and Nancy Pelosi, just go down the line.

But we need to show the American people that there are some people in Washington who are very, very concerned about what's taking place at the head of our government. We have never in American history seen anything like this. That's it.

HANNITY: "American Marxism", the number one book in the country still and it's on amazon.com, hannity.com, bookstores all across the country. The last chapter is my favorite, "We choose liberty". "Life, Liberty and Levin" every Sunday, 8:00 p.m., right here on FOX.

Great one, thank you.

When we come back, President Biden desperately trying to change the conversation today, won't take any questions, ignoring the real problem in Afghanistan and attacking governors who are fighting back against -- well, his mandates. Governor Ron DeSantis, who's been personally targeted by Biden, he has a message for Joe. And then we'll talk to an interpreter that risks their lives to help us and will tell us how many of them and their lives are in jeopardy tonight, as our coverage continues. Thank you for being with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HANNITY: Now, rather than focus on saving thousands of Americans that are trapped behind enemy lines inside Afghanistan, rather than taking any responsibility for the this disgraceful reckless exit plan if you want to call it that, instead of focusing on saving American lives, what's Joe doing? Well, he's attacking Republican governors like Ron DeSantis over masks and not taking a single question. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BIDEN: I'm directing the secretary of education, an educator himself, to take additional steps to protect our children. This includes using all of his oversight authorities and legal action if appropriate against governors who are trying to block and intimidate local school officials and educators.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANNITY: And during today's disgraceful remarks, Biden didn't even mention Afghanistan. Not once. Took zero questions. I wonder if you're -- how you feeling in Afghanistan seeing that today?

Here with reaction, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.

Governor, I want to go over -- you served our nation in the military. You are with -- you served in the prestigious Navy JAG Corps as a prosecutor, deployed in Iraq with Seal Team One during the surge, served as a SEAL commander in Fallujah, you served as -- worked for the commander at Gitmo. Your military background is extensive.

I'll get to the attack by Biden in a second, what's your assessment?

I don't see -- you know, when they took 20 percent of Afghanistan, why didn't they act? Or 30 percent, or 40 percent, or 50 percent. How did he stay on vacation as Kabul was falling before the world's eyes? Can you explain that? Because I can't.

GOV. RON DESANTIS (R), FLORIDA: Well, he's asleep at the switch, Sean.

And first, let me say, I mean, obviously, after 9/11, we needed to go in and rout the Taliban and al Qaeda. But I think in hindsight, we should have come home after that. I think trying to do the democracy and all that, I think has been very problematic.

Now, having said that and I think Trump was right to say we needed to come home from Afghanistan, how you do that matters. When you're leaving thousands of Americans to fend for themselves behind enemy lines, that matters. When you're leaving billions of dollars in military equipment for our enemies to just take, that matters. It's going to make that area a disaster. Obviously, Americans are at risk.

And, Sean, you know who's looking at this? China, Russia, North Korea, all of our adversaries are taking the measure of Joe Biden and they see that this is not somebody who's capable of leading with conviction and leading on the world stage. So, they are going to do everything they can as long as he's president to take advantage of that and I think we're in for a rocky three and a half years as long as he's president.

HANNITY: I -- I don't know how we get every American out of there safely.

There's one big part of the president's message and this is the call that I keep referring to confirmed on this program last night by Mark Meadows, the chief of staff -- Donald Trump was very clear with the Taliban. If you step out of line one time, I will obliterate you. There would be no waiting. It would happen immediately and expeditiously.

That was missing as 10 percent, 20 percent, 40 percent, 60 percent, 70 percent of the country was taken over by the Taliban. Joe Biden didn't lift a finger.

Governor, how do you not react when it's happening before your eyes?

DESANTIS: Well, not only that, he was on vacation. They had to fly him off a vacation to give a kind of a half cocked statement on camera that he said wasn't taking questions, then he goes back on vacation.

And he is obsessed -- while you have all the stuff going on with Afghanistan -- obviously, all the stuff at the southern border which you and I have talked about, one of the biggest border disasters in the history of our country, inflation, gas prices -- and what does he do? He is obsessed with having the government force kindergartners to wear mass all day in school.

In Florida, we believe that that's the parents' decision. Joe Biden thinks the federal government should come in and overrule the parents and force these young kids to wear these masks.

And you got to wonder, where are your priorities that you're so obsessed with this issue and so obsessed with taking away parents rights and you're letting Afghanistan burn, our border burn, and so many other things in our country fall to pieces?

HANNITY: You know, when COVID first hit, you were regularly on this show, on my radio show often as a matter of fact. You mobilized every single state agency to protect the very large elderly population that you had in Florida. You -- for example, you never sent COVID patients to nursing homes or The Villages or any communities where people were older and more vulnerable.

Now, you've done something. Now, that the CDC has said in no uncertain terms, even fully vaccinated people, the vaccine will not prevent you from getting COVID, you have now done something that I think is quite innovative and that is you have now institutionalized and mobilized your state once again to build these monoclonal antibody centers, Regeneron centers, Eli Lilly centers. So when people that are fully vaccinated or not get COVID, they can get the infusion of Regeneron as quickly as possible. And that's going to be available all throughout the state.

You're in the process of doing it everywhere right now. Is that correct?

DESANTIS: That's right. So, we've already have four sites up. We're going to have -- by the end of the week, we're going to have 10 to 15. They're going to each be able to do 320 treatments a day, Sean, which is a lot.

So we're going to be doing thousands of these are going to be available every single day and you and I know people -- the data is very clear -- but you and I know people. They took this, they had symptoms and it was resolved. It can keep you out of the hospital and it can save your life.

More people need to know about it and so, that's one of the reasons we're doing these centers so that people understand, if you are COVID positive, you actually have an ability to do early treatment which is great.

HANNITY: And that has probably been the most underreported therapeutic out there. Our friend -- I know Governor Abbott, he's in our prayers tonight, I know he had the infusion himself.

I applaud you and others for doing this and setting this up immediately now that we -- the science shows the vaccine will not necessarily protect you, it's not protecting many people.

Governor, great to have you back. Please come on often. We appreciate it.

After the break, an Afghan interpreter who helped American forces for over a decade begging the Biden administration, his family is trapped behind enemy lines. He'll join us along with Sara Carter, as our coverage continues. Thanks for being with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HANNITY: Now, tonight, thousands of Americans are at the mercy of the Taliban amid the Biden administration's unmitigated, unprecedented failures, lack of commitment to guaranteeing that all Americans get evacuated safely. Tonight, we're following the story of Saber Nasseri. Now, he worked as an Afghan interpreter for U.S. forces for years. He is living in the U.S. but he is desperately trying to get his family out of Afghanistan.

Joining us now to explain more, along with FOX News contributor who's known Saber for a long time, our own Sarah Carter.

Saber, first our thoughts and prayers are with your family. What are you hearing on the ground and there were many thousands of people that were promised by our government if this day ever came, we would get them out safely. Is that correct?

SABER NASSERI, AFGHAN INTERPRETER NOW LIVING IN THE U.S.: Good evening, everyone. Thank you, sir.

Yes, I fought for this country. I served 11 years for U.S. Marine Corps. And -- but now, I lost my fingers in the war. The Taliban, they cut my fingers off, they cut my bodies all that I got a lot of shrapnels. I worked for Navy SEALs, U.S. Marines in Afghanistan.

But right now, the Taliban, they are hunting my family because the -- this country, they made a documentary movie about me. I won the Hollywood award, Emmy Award, a lot of awards I won, and my family, they were in a movie too. General John Allen and other colonels and generals that they work with me.

The Taliban they just cut my cousin's neck off a couple days ago that they moved from Baghlan province to Kabul, and they are hunting my family. My family and my brother family, they all living close to the airport, had been one week, I didn't sleep, I didn't eat good and I didn't -- I'm -- I'm very worried about my family. I might -- I might lose my family.

And I'm asking from Mr. Joe Biden that he broke his promise and he left my family and other American allies behind. What's your answer for humanity for me that I support and sacrifice for this country? Now, I need your help.

HANNITY: Yeah.

NASSERI: What you will do? Thank you.

HANNITY: Sara, you know many people -- by the way, and our thoughts and prayers are with your family tonight. You know many people like Saber, Mr. Nasseri and his family. They were promises.

And then we have untold thousands of Americans, we don't know how many.

SARA CARTER, FOX NEWS CONTRIBUTOR: Right.

HANNITY: We just know they're behind enemy lines, how do you get told to go to the airport -- we suggest you go to the airport, we can't guarantee your safe passage to the airport. Okay, not very comforting to me. It seems that we are at the mercy now of this brutal terrorist supporting organization, and terrorist organization.

CARTER: You're absolutely right, Sean. It's complete chaos. I've been on the phone all day and night. Saber knows this. I've been talking to my friends, people that I consider family in Afghanistan, just like Saber, who have said that they their mothers have been beaten, their sisters have been beaten, people have been slaughtered outside the gates.

I know, right now, people have even arrived at the gates even with American passports and visas to enter into Kabul airport, and they've been turned away because there's so much confusion at the gates right now. There were planes that literally lifted off the ground today with empty seats because nobody knows who to let in or who to let out.

It appears that even at the embassy, everything was burned, even the visas. So when they destroyed everything, they destroyed all the information. Right now, on the ground, people are trying to get it together, to get people out of the country.

Sean, I just want to say one more thing. There are amazing Americans who I can't mention right now who are helping people over there both Americans and Afghan allies. They are doing what they can to get people out and that's what's keeping our hopes up.

HANNITY: Oh, there's thousands, Sara, thousands.

Saber, we pray for your family and the families of every American in harm's way tonight.

More "Hannity" after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HANNITY: And, unfortunately, that's all the time we have left this evening. We hope you'll set your DVR, never miss an episode.

We end with this, please -- for the people in Afghanistan, our thoughts, our prayers, our love, our support are with you. We pray we get you home soon. Our prayer for all of you tonight.

In the meantime, let not your hearts be troubled -- although we have every right to have troubled hearts.

Laura Ingraham takes it from here -- Laura.

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