Trump continues his obsession with Biden’s slip on Air Force One steps in new attack ad

‘Joe Biden has backed down to our enemies and failed to protect our allies,’ says the ad

Donald Trump launched a scathing attack against the Joe Biden administration and its handling of Afghanistan in a latest advert, labelling the president “Surrender-in-chief,” and once again mocking the moment Mr Biden fell on the stairs of Air Force One.

The one and a half minute-long advert launched on Saturday contained sustained attacks on Mr Biden’s presidential term so far, including calling America’s retreat from Afghanistan “the greatest foreign policy humiliation” in US history.

“Joe Biden promised Americans a future of growth, strength, diplomacy, and power. He told us ‘America was back,’” the supporting text on Mr Trump’s website said. “Instead, he withdrew troops from Afghanistan before removing our weapons, our allies, or even our own citizens.”

“Joe Biden has backed down to our enemies and failed to protect our allies. Under Joe Biden, the Taliban is back – not America,” the text further said.

The ad begins with news coverage of Afghanistan and Covid-19 infections and features Mr Biden’s fall while getting into the Air Force One, something Mr Trump has repeatedly made fun of. The video goes on to use clips from Mr Biden and his associate’s speeches of not seeing any “imminent threat” in Afghanistan. It also shows Taliban members laughing and beating people up as they seize Afghanistan.

Mr Trump, who is expected to contest for presidency again in 2024, has repeatedly targeted his opponent, Mr Biden, and accused him of “giving away” Afghanistan to the Islamist group. However, his own plan was to withdraw troops in May, earlier than Mr Biden’s withdrawal of July.

“Biden’s botched exit from Afghanistan is the most astonishing display of gross incompetence by a nation’s leader, perhaps at any time,” Mr Trump recently said at a boisterous rally near Cullman, Alabama.

Mr Biden’s handling of Afghanistan is not just under fire from the former president, but also from rights activists and war veterans who have raised questions on America’s preparedness in evacuation as thousands of Afghans rush through airport to flee the country while the deadline of 31 August remains.

Even a recent meeting between CIA chief William Burns and Taliban’s de-facto leader Abdul Ghani Baradar - the highest level of person-to-person meet so far - did not bring any favourable result for the US which was under pressure from allies like the UK, France and Germany to extend the deadline.

Taliban leaders in Afghanistan are forming a framework for their new government after seizing power as western troops began their drawdown and Kabul fell on 14 August.