Washington Post: GOP Congressman threatened U.S. embassy staff when trying to enter Afghanistan

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The Post reported that Mullin called the U.S. embassy in Tajikistan on Monday, informing them that he would fly from the country of Georgia to the capital of Tajikistan, Dushanbe, in a few hours and that he wanted help to transport a large amount of ‘cash, the Post reported.

The Oklahoma congressman told the embassy that he planned to rescue five U.S. citizens, a woman and her four children, from Afghanistan by hiring a helicopter, two U.S. officials told the newspaper.

Embassy officials rejected Mullin’s request, saying they could not help him avoid Tajikistan’s monetary restrictions on its way to Afghanistan, the Post reported.

Annoyed by the response he received, Mullin threatened the top diplomat, Ambassador John Mark Pommersheim, and embassy staff, according to the Post.

Late Tuesday, U.S. officials told the Post they were unsure of Mullin’s location.

Mullin “has been and is totally safe,” her spokeswoman Meredith Blanford said in a statement sent Tuesday night, without detailing her current location.

Mullin posted on his Instagram early Wednesday morning that he wasn’t missing, but “it got a little dark, yes, because it wasn’t safe to communicate.”

“We’ve been helping get the Americans out of Afghanistan, yes. The mission continues, yes,” he wrote.

Blanford said Mullin and his Congressional office “will continue to do everything in our power to bring home all Americans in the war zone that President (Joe) Biden left behind. Security and the security of the American people will always be their top priority. “

“We have no further comments at this time,” he added.

CNN has contacted the State Department and Mullin’s office for further comments. The State Department declined to comment on the Post about Mullin’s travels or interactions with the Tajik embassy.

The incident was Mullin’s second attempt to reach Afghanistan, the Post noted.

The Republican lawmaker had traveled to Greece last week and asked permission from the Pentagon to enter Kabul, but his request was denied, according to the Post.

Two other congressmen: Representative Seth Moulton, a Democrat from Massachusetts, and Peter Meijer, a Republican from Michigan, paid an unauthorized visit to Afghanistan last week as the U.S. rushed to evacuate the Americans and their allies. , provoking strong criticism from colleagues. .

The two Iraq war veterans said they flew to Kabul “to oversee” the U.S. evacuation mission. The couple left Afghanistan on a military plane.

Before her trip was revealed, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi discouraged members from traveling to Afghanistan, arguing that the trip would “unnecessarily divert the necessary resources” from evacuation efforts. The Department of Defense also discouraged “VIP visits” to Afghanistan.

On Monday, the last U.S. military aircraft left Afghanistan, marking the end of a full, chaotic and bloody exit from the longest war in the United States.

“This is a sad day for our country,” Mullin said in a statement Monday. “The Americans have been blocked in Afghanistan by the Biden Administration and are now allowed to defend themselves from the terrorists who dominate the country. A motto of our military is ‘leave no one behind.’ exactly what President Biden did. “

An estimated 100 to 200 Americans remain in Afghanistan with some intention of leaving, Biden said in statements Tuesday. He added that most are dual citizens or longtime residents who decided to stay in the country because of their family ties.

The State Department said it would continue to assist American citizens and their families in Afghanistan from Doha, Qatar.

The department issued a travel advice on Tuesday, warning Americans not to travel to Afghanistan “because of civil unrest, armed conflict, crime, terrorism, kidnapping and COVID-19.”

CNN’s Jennifer Hansler contributed to this report.

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