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Blinken blasted over Afghan evacuees hiring Uber to leave US military bases
A Tennessee Republican who is also an Iraq and Afghanistan war veteran sent a letter to the State Department this week, demanding answers after a source informed his office that evacuees being held at a Virginia military base have had "free rein" of the campus and have allegedly been leaving the base using ride-hailing apps without restraint from officials, Fox News has learned.

U.S. Rep. Mark Green, who represents part of Middle Tennessee, exclusively told "The Ingraham Angle" on Wednesday about his letter addressed to Secretary of State Antony Blinken after a source with knowledge of the situation made the allegations to his office.

Green wrote to Blinken asking for information regarding allegations that not-fully-vetted Afghan evacuees staying at Fort Pickett have "basically have free rein of the complex and have even been allowed to leave despite not having completed the vetting process."

The lawmaker told host Laura Ingraham that the issues are happening elsewhere than just Fort Pickett, and that the Pentagon is not necessarily to blame in this specific regard because they are essentially taking direction from Foggy Bottom.

"[T]he State Department is failing to give [the Pentagon] adequate information. … They don't know exactly how many [evacuees] are even there. So they can't account for someone if they don't return," Green said. CLICK HERE FOR MORE ON OUR TOP STORY.

In other developments:
- GOP letter to Biden flags Afghan evacuees’ ‘rushed and incomplete’ vetting
- Ingraham: Biden administration ‘lost in their delusions and missing in action’
- Hannity blasts Obama, Biden for freeing new Taliban leaders in 2014 Bowe Bergdahl exchange
- Afghanistan’s acting PM calls on those who worked alongside US to return
- Gen. Petraeus: Afghanistan facing ‘very uncertain future’ after US exit

Kellyanne Conway, Sean Spicer fire back after Biden boots Trump appointees from military panels
President Biden is facing backlash after asking for resignations from multiple members of military academies’ advisory boards who were appointed by former President Donald Trump.

"I'm not resigning, but you should," Kellyanne Conway, a member of the Board of Visitors to the U.S. Air Force Academy who served as a senior adviser to Trump, wrote to Biden following the demand.

Conway wasn't the only Trump appointee to refuse to resign amid Biden's demand, with Russ Vought, former director of the Office of Management and Budget, flatly saying "no" and arguing that appointees are selected to serve three-year terms.

The move was also blasted by former White House press secretary Sean Spicer, who serves on the Board of Visitors to the Naval Academy.

"Instead of focusing on the stranded Americans left in Afghanistan, President Biden is trying to terminate the Trump appointees to the Naval Academy, West Point and Air Force Academy," Spicer wrote Wednesday. CLICK HERE FOR MORE.

In other developments:
- Trump deplores removal of Richmond’s Robert E. Lee statue
- Biden names 3 picks for Ninth Circuit, 5 for other courts, stressing diversity: reports
- Executive branch’s ‘decentralized’ ‘deep state’ in charge while voters think president is: Curtis Yarvin
- New York Times hasn’t updated Biden’s ‘latest poll numbers’ page since May
-CIA operatives who led charge in Afghanistan feel Biden’s withdrawal ‘catastrophically mismanaged’: author

Candace Owens mocks AOC over ‘menstruating people’ remarks: ‘We’re not allowed to say ‘woman’’
Author and commentator Candace Owens keyed into what she saw as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's reticence to use the term "woman" as opposed to "menstruating person" in her rebuttal to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signing the state's new heartbeat bill into law.

In an interview with CNN on Tuesday, Ocasio-Cortez claimed Abbott may not be "familiar with a menstruating person's body – in fact, I do know he's not familiar with a woman – a female – a menstruating person's body."

On Wednesday, Owens told "Tucker Carlson Tonight" guest host Brian Kilmeade that the New York Democrat was apparently afraid of the potential "woke" repercussions of failing to distinguish women from "menstruating people."

"Isn’t it so sad we have to talk about basic biology especially when you are dealing with someone who is a 32-year-old congresswoman," Owens said.

"I’m sorry, did I say woman?" she added. "I meant to say Congressmenstruatingperson – because were not allowed to say woman." CLICK HERE FOR MORE.

In other developments:
- Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez mocked for using term ‘menstruating person’ to describe women in interview
- Harris accuses Texas Gov. Abbott of ‘arrogantly’ dismissing rape victims
- WSJ columnist calls out AOC, liberals for ignoring ‘real structural racism’ in schools
- AOC suggests Manchin to blame for NYC flood deaths
- Candace Owens denied medical treatment as Colorado lab cancels COVID test appointment

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TODAY’S MUST-READS:
- Portland mayor now says police ‘hands off’ riot response was ‘not the right strategy’
- Trump to Gutfeld: ‘Your fabulous ratings are beating some very untalented people’
- Derek Jeter’s daughters steal the show at his Hall of Fame induction
- Texas man gets execution delay over pastor’s touch request
- George Gascon, liberal LA County DA, facing defamation lawsuit by deputy
- Actress Jennifer Lawrence expecting first child
- Oscar De La Hoya says he's out of the hospital after coronavirus bout

THE LATEST FROM FOX BUSINESS:
- IRS extends tax relief for those impacted by Ida in New York, New Jersey
- Microsoft warns Azure customers of flaw that could have permitted hackers access
- US economic growth slowed as delta variant hampered demand
- Larry Kudlow: Biden has given the terrorists a homeland
- Bill Gates investment firm to take control of Four Seasons in $2.21B deal

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SOME PARTING WORDS

Jesse Watters claimed Wednesday on Fox News’ "The Five" that Americans feel less safe from terrorism under the Biden administration.

"Maybe this is why," Watters said. "President Biden has botched Afghanistan’s withdrawal and the Taliban’s return to power could turn the war-torn country back into a terrorist safe haven. DHS Secretary Mayorkas says that while there is no credible threat, he’s still concerned."

But just how concerned is Mayorkas? "He’s not too concerned because the border is wide open and people are just pouring across," Watters said.

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Fox News First was compiled by Fox News’ Jack Durschlag. Thank you for making us your first choice in the morning! We’ll see you in your inbox first thing Friday.