The Trump Administration has reaffirmed its commitment to U.S. national security and the protection of American citizens as its central priorities in Afghanistan, while significantly narrowing engagement with the Taliban regime. According to the latest quarterly report by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR), the administration has adopted a firm policy of withholding support to the Taliban unless it meets its international obligations—particularly regarding counterterrorism cooperation and the release of detained U.S. citizens.
In a briefing to the United Nations Security Council on June 23, U.S. Ambassador to the UN Dorothy Shea criticized the sustainability and effectiveness of post-2021 international assistance to Afghanistan. “Our approach to assistance has not been sustainable and has failed to yield the intended results,” she stated. “We continue to have the same conversations without demanding results from the Taliban,” she added, pointing to worsening economic conditions compounded by the regime’s repressive policies.
Reflecting its hardened stance, the United States was one of only two nations to vote against UN General Assembly Resolution A/79/L.100 on July 7. The resolution, which was adopted with 116 votes in favor, 2 against, and 12 abstentions, calls for increased humanitarian aid to Afghanistan while expressing concern over the Taliban’s human rights record. While reaffirming its commitment to the Afghan people, the U.S. Department of State clarified that it “cannot continue propping up the Taliban while simultaneously demanding they meet their international commitments.”
In correspondence with SIGAR, the State Department reiterated that, “The Trump Administration places the highest priority on protecting U.S. national security and ensuring the safety and security of Americans.” The Department further emphasized that the U.S. “cannot even consider steps towards normalization of relations” with the Taliban as long as American citizens remain unjustly detained.
The report notes that following the release of two U.S. hostages in the previous quarter, the State Department has demanded an end to the Taliban’s “hostage diplomacy.” Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a stark warning, saying that failure to secure the release of remaining hostages would lead to “imminent consequences.”
In a bid to accelerate the recovery of missing Americans, the U.S. government has announced a $5 million reward for credible information leading to the safe return of American businessman Mahmood Shah Habibi, who was abducted by the Taliban’s General Directorate of Intelligence in Kabul in 2022 and has not been heard from since.
The SIGAR report underscores a continued shift in U.S. policy—moving away from broad-based engagement toward a security-driven approach focused on accountability, counterterrorism, and the protection of American lives.
