Joe Biden defends handling of US departure from Afghanistan

Mr Biden said he will sharpen the focus of US foreign policy by concentrating on threats such as cyberattack and the proliferation of nuclear weapon technologies.

President Joe Biden speaks about the end of the war in Afghanistan. Picture: Evan Vucci/AP

President Joe Biden is defending his handling of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan, including the frantic final evacuation from Kabul airport.

In remarks at the White House on Tuesday, Mr Biden said the US government had reached out 19 times since March, prior to his public announcement that he was going to end the US war, to encourage all American citizens in Afghanistan to leave.