FACT CHECK: Did Donald Trump Say To âNot Be Distractedâ By The Afghanistan Crisis And To âKeep One Eye On Washingtonâ?
An image shared on Facebook claims former President Donald Trump said not to be âdistracted by all this going on in Afghanistanâ and to âkeep one eye on Washington D.C.â

Facebook/Screenshot
Verdict: False
The statement has been misattributed to Trump.
Fact Check:
The Taliban has rapidly taken over Afghanistan, having seized control of Kabul, provincial capitals and other cities, NPR reported. President Joe Biden has faced criticism as the U.S. races to finish evacuating American citizens and Afghan allies from Afghanistan by his Aug. 31 deadline, according to the Associated Press.
The meme in the Facebook post includes what resembles a Fox News graphic for a phone interview with Trump. Below that, Trump is quoted as allegedly saying, âDo not be distracted by all this going on in Afghanistan. Always keep one eye on Washington D.C. A magician always distracts his audience. And we all know that the Democrats are very good magicians.â (RELATED: Is The Only McDonaldâs In Afghanistan Being Staffed By US Marines?)
But, contrary to the postâs claim, the former president didnât make this comment on Fox News or anywhere else. A search for the quote on the Fox News website and in Grabienâs collection of the networkâs broadcasts didnât yield any instances of Trump saying it. Check Your Fact didnât find the remark in Factb.ase or Revâs respective databases of his public statements.
It hasnât been possible for Trump to post any statement on his Twitter, Facebook or Instagram account during Bidenâs presidency. Twitter permanently suspended his account, @realDonaldTrump, in early January for tweets the company said violated its âGlorification of Violence Policyâ after rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol. He has also been suspended from Facebook and Instagram since January for similar reasons.
Trump said on Aug. 21 that Bidenâs handling of the U.S. troop withdrawal from Afghanistan was Americaâs âgreatest foreign policy humiliation,â Reuters reported. While president, Trump and the Taliban had reached an agreement in 2020 that U.S. forces would totally withdraw from Afghanistan by May 1, 2021, according to Politico.