Video of Jen Psaki Saying Americans Not Stranded in Afghanistan Viewed Over 2M Times

A tense exchange between Jen Psaki and Fox News reporter Peter Doocy in which the White House press secretary says that Americans are not stranded in Afghanistan has gone viral, with multiple videos having been collectively watched over 2 million times.

The heated exchange between the two was at a press conference at the White House on Monday.

In the video, which was posted on several different platforms, Doocy, who is White House correspondent for Fox News, asks her: "Does the president have the sense that most of the criticism is not of leaving Afghanistan it's the way that he has ordered it happen by pulling the troops before getting these Americans that are now stranded. Does he have a sense of that?

Psaki responds: "First of all, I think it's irresponsible to say Americans are stranded. They are not. We are committed to bringing Americans who want to come home home. We are in touch with them via phone, via text, via email, via any way we can possibly reach Americans to get them home if they want to return home."

The reporter continues: "So there are no Americans stranded is the White House's official position on what's happening in Afghanistan right now?

"I'm just calling you out for saying that we are stranding Americans in Afghanistan when we have been very clear that we are not leaving Americans who want to return home, we are going to bring them home, and I think that's it's important for the American public to hear and understand," Psaki says.

Videos of the exchange have since gone viral on social media, having been viewed collectively over 2 million times.

The clash is just the latest between Psaki and Doocy to go viral, where both supporters and detractors of the Biden administration will often share a clip from the exchange in order to hammer home their support or opposition of the president's actions.

Unsurprisingly, the White House press secretary's response received criticism from Republicans, who cited reports of Americans getting turned away, harassed, and beaten by the Taliban.

Nikki Haley, former South Carolina governor and U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, said on Twitter: "From our southern border to Afghanistan, it seems the Biden administration's strategy for solving crises is to pretend they don't exist. Open your eyes. There are multiple reports of Americans getting turned away, harassed, and beaten by the Taliban."

Rep. Greg Murphy, a Republican for North Carolina's third district, said: "It's beyond irresponsible to execute a withdrawal that leaves tens of thousands of Americans and trusted allies to fend for themselves as the Taliban goes door to door killing people. What world is @PressSec [Psaki] living in?"

The U.S. embassy in Afghanistan warned American citizens over the weekend to stay away from Kabul's international airport, citing "potential security threats" at the gates.

The United States has said it would withdraw all of its troops from Afghanistan by August 31, but the president is expected to decide in the next 24 hours whether to extend the deadline, Reuters reported on Monday, as Britain calls an emergency virtual meeting on the situation with the Group of Seven countries on Tuesday. The British press reported that UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson would try and lobby for Biden to extend the deadline to allow more time for evacuation.

Currently, the U.S. has around 5,800 troops in Afghanistan guarding the military section of the airport in Kabul, where the evacuation flights have been taking place.

However, the Taliban said the U.S. would "provoke a reaction" if it extends the August 31 deadline to allow for more flights to evacuate people.

"The goal is to get as many people out as fast as possible," Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby told reporters on Monday. "The focus is on trying to do this as best we can by the end of the month."