State Dept. denies relying on Taliban pledge to allow safe passage for evacuees: 'This is not about trust'

State Department spokesman Ned Price denied Monday that the Biden administration was relying on the Taliban’s pledge to allow safe passage for Afghan allies and others seeking to leave the country, asserting that U.S. officials have “significant sources of leverage” should the group renege on their commitment.

While Price said the Biden administration was "focused on deeds, not words" regarding the pledge, his response prompted a question about how officials could trust the Taliban not to retaliate against Afghans who aided U.S. forces over the last two decades. "We are not, in any way, trusting the Taliban. This is not about trust," Price said. "This is about what’s in our interests and also what’s in the interests of the people of Afghanistan, and those two things are aligned."