Trump hits out at Ashraf Ghani, says ‘He is a total crook, never had confidence in him'

Former US President Donald Trump on Thursday launched a scathing attack on exiled ex-Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, saying that latter was a “total crook” and that he “never had full confidence” in his regime. As Taliban made rapid advancements to seize control of capital metropolis of Kabul, 72-year-old Ghani fled country. He first attempted to enter neighbouring Tajikistan or Uzbekistan where his chopper was denied entry, according to initial ground reports, but later was reported to have taken refuge in UAE, UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation sponsoring ousted Afghan leader confirmed, labelling move as a ‘humanitarian act’. 

“ UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation can confirm that UAE has welcomed President Ashraf Ghani and his family into country on humanitarian grounds,”  Foreign Ministry said in a statement which was later posted to its website.

Trump on Thursday derided w settled in UAE Afghan ruler in an interview to Fox accusing him of “getting away with murder.” Russian news ncies claimed that  Ghani escaped Afghanistan with a chopper full of cash, four cars, and stole $169 million from state coffers as Afghans feared for ir lives from Taliban’s reprisal. Ghani later denied those allegations in a broadcast mess streamed out of his Emirati location, saying that he had fled with“one set of traditional clos, a vest and sandals” leaving behind his priceless books in haste. He clarified, that he had abruptly left Kabul to prevent bloodshed and had taken money as he departed presidential palace. 

“If I had stayed, I would be witnessing bloodshed in Kabul,” Ghani said in a video streamed on Facebook on Wednesday, his first public comments. “Kabul should t be turned into ar Yemen or Syria over power struggles so I was forced to leave,” he added.

In live-streamed interview, former US President Donald Trump meanwhile lambasted Ashraf Ghani, adding that he negotiated with Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar Akhund, Taliban's co-founder, in February in Doha for drawing down US troops. But that agreement, Trump said, was “condition-based.” deal entailed that if Taliban spewed violence or ruckus against Americans or its allies US would retaliate with airstrikes on Taliban leader's residence vill, and or parts of Afghanistan where Taliban enjoyed stronghold. 

"I wanted [ Taliban] to get a deal done with Afghan government," Trump said in his televised remark, adding "w, I never had a lot of confidence, frankly, in Ghani. I said that openly and plainly I thought he was a total crook.” 

Furrmore, former American leader said Ghani "spent all his time wining and dining our senators." “ senators were in his pocket. That was one of problems that we had. But I never liked him... He got away with murder in many, many different ways,” Trump said, without elaborating on murders ex-Afghan President "got away with.” 

Deuncing Ghani’s governance, Trump said that he believed in Russian media reports and himself suspects that former Afghanistan ruler fled with a stash of cash. Trump cited Ghani’s “lifestyle”  "his houses" and "where he lives," as reason for believing so. Russian embassy in Kabul has made strong claims that Ghani and his entour escaped Kabul with "four cars full of money," Russian news ncy RIA reported. 

'Ghani.. is a traitor,' says Afghan's popular TV station owner

Owner of Afghanistan's top television stations Saad Mohseni in his statement to New York Times called Ashraf Ghani a “traitor.” "[Ghani] will be kwn as Benedict Arld of Afghanistan," Mohseni told NY newspaper. "People will be spitting on his grave for ar 100 years,” he went on to add. 

Meanwhile Ghani in his broadcast statement dismissed allegations of “fleeing” stating “Do t believe whoever tells you that your president sold you out and fled for his own advant and to save his own life.”