The broadcast networks are now scheduled to break into their regularly scheduled programming at 3:45 p.m. ET Monday to take President Biden’s remarks from the East Room on the crisis in Afghanistan. The president’s remarks come in light of the Taliban having seized control of the capital city of Kabul and the U.S. scrambling to evacuate diplomats and their families fearful of the organization.
There is footage showing chaos at the Kabul airport as native Afghans try to flee the Taliban. People clung to the sides of military planes, even as one taxied down the runway.
President Biden was expected to stay at Camp David on Monday. However, he will return to the White House today and address the nation about what has transpired.
I will be addressing the nation on Afghanistan at 3:45 PM ET today.
— President Biden (@POTUS) August 16, 2021
CBS News will provide a CBS News Special Report anchored by CBS Evening News Anchor and Managing Editor Norah O’Donnell on CBS and CBSN. Joining O’Donnell for the special coverage is CBS News national security correspondent David Martin from the Pentagon, CBS News foreign correspondent Roxana Saberi in Afghanistan, and CBS News foreign correspondent Charlie D’Agata from London. CBS News White House correspondent Ed O’Keefe will join from the White House North Lawn and CBS News White House correspondent Weijia Jiang will be in the East Room.
Lester Holt will anchor an NBC News Special Report. He’ll be joined by NBC News White House correspondent Kelly O’Donnell, NBC News chief foreign correspondent Richard Engel, NBC News political director & moderator of Meet the Press Chuck Todd, NBC News Pentagon correspondent Courtney Kube, and NBC News senior Washington correspondent Andrea Mitchell.
ABC News will also carry President Biden’s remarks as a special report as well. David Muir anchors the network’s coverage and is joined by senior foreign correspondent Ian Pannell, chief global affairs correspondent Martha Raddatz, chief Washington correspondent Jonathan Karl, Congressional correspondent Rachel Scott and correspondent Stephanie Ramos.
ABC News Live will continue coverage anchored by Diane Macedo.
Senior White House officials seem to be taken aback by how quickly the Taliban took over the country after the U.S. announced it would be withdrawing its presence from the war-torn country.
“It’s certainly the case that the speed with which cities fell was much greater than anyone anticipated including the Afghans, including many of the analysts monitoring the situation,” White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said Monday on Today show.
Deputy national security adviser Jon Finer said on MSNBC: “If you’re asking has the situation deteriorated in Afghanistan faster than was anticipated and expected not just by us, by the way, but broadly? I think the answer to that question is undeniably yes.”