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Biden's post-Ida promises to Gulf Coast ring hollow after Afghanistan disaster, Mark Meadows says
Former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows on Thursday questioned President Biden’s promise not to leave Hurricane Ida survivors behind, comparing it to Biden's promise to evacuate Americans stranded in Afghanistan.

"Joe Biden just told hurricane survivors they ‘won’t be left behind,’ which would be comforting words had he not just said the exact same thing last week, and then turned his back—leaving hundreds of Americans behind in Afghanistan," Meadows tweeted. "Then and now. Biden’s words are empty."

Meadows' comments came ahead of Biden's scheduled visit to Louisiana on Friday to view the hurricane's impact on the region.

Biden was heavily criticized for his chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan that ultimately failed to evacuate every American from the country, despite multiple promises from the administration that those who wanted to leave would be evacuated by the U.S. military.

Biden spoke directly to Americans in the Gulf Coast, where Hurricane Ida first made landfall, in a statement Thursday. 

"My message to the people of the Gulf Coast, who I’m going to visit [Friday]: We are here for you," Biden said. "And we’re making sure the response and recovery is equitable so that those hit hardest get the resources they need and are not left behind." CLICK HERE FOR MORE ON OUR TOP STORY.

In other developments:
- Biden to visit Hurricane Ida devastation in Louisiana on Friday
- Ida’s aftermath: Swollen rivers threaten new flooding in parts of Northeast as storms kill dozens
- Ida aftermath: Power outages in Louisiana, Mississippi persist for a fourth day
- Biden to visit Hurricane Ida devastation in Louisiana on Friday
- US loans Exxon refinery oil from emergency reserve in Ida's wake

BREAKING NEWS: New Zealand authorities say Islamic terrorist stabbed 6 at supermarket; suspect dead

Washington politics ‘has literally killed Americans,’ Richard Grenell says
Former Director of National Intelligence Richard Grenell claimed Thursday that the Biden administration was trying to "spin" the facts regarding Afghanistan, portraying the rescue of 90% of Americans, instead of 100%, as a success.

Grenell shared his observations with guest host Tammy Bruce on "Fox News Primetime."

"I am not surprised that Washington, D.C., is lying to us again," he said. "Unfortunately, Tammy, we have a situation where Washington, D.C.'s politics has literally killed Americans. And while this can go on in Washington, and those in Washington can paper it over and try to spin that they got 90% of Americans out of Afghanistan, the rest of us outside of Washington are saying we have never seen a situation where Washington, D.C., politicians are proud of 90%.

"What we hear, what the rest of us hear is that 'You left 10% of the people in Afghanistan and you're trying to spin this'. I really never thought that I would see this moment come."

Grenell, who served under former President Donald Trump, said U.S. intelligence officers were now "leaking [to the press] against Democrats" – remarking that the intel bureaucracy usually leaks exclusively to the detriment of Republican administrations. CLICK HERE FOR MORE.

In other developments:
- Tammy Bruce exposes Biden presidency failures: His lies ‘get people murdered’
- US military escape from Afghanistan: Air Force crews describe ‘apocalyptic’ final scenes
- White House says there are ‘active’ ISIS threats in Afghanistan, as ‘closer to 100’ Americans remain
- Hannity: OSAC alert shows State Department leaving Americans 'hostage' to Taliban

Pelosi hears from GOP as Dem bill directs $200M to park in her San Francisco district
Republicans cried foul this week over $200 million earmarked in the House Democrats’ massive $3.5 trillion budget resolution for the Presidio Park in House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s San Francisco district, according to reports. 

"Their deficit spending proposals saddle future generations with insurmountable debt in order to give Nancy Pelosi things like a $200 million earmark," Rep. Bruce Westerman, R-Ark., ranking member of the House Natural Resources Committee, said Thursday while the committee began marking up the bill, according to the Washington Times. 

The Presidio is a 1,500-acre national historic park that sits on the San Francisco Peninsula. Drivers see the park as they enter San Francisco from Marin County via the Golden Gate Bridge.

Pelosi helped build support to create the Presidio Trust when the park transitioned from a military installation in the 1990s. 

The speaker is also known to frequent the park herself. 

"I’m a regular at the Presidio," she told the Nob Hill Gazette in an interview published this week. "It’s just so beautiful to walk and see the bridge and then walk back and see the City." CLICK HERE FOR MORE.

In other developments:
- Manchin tells Dems to 'hit the pause button' on $3.5T spending plan
- Newt Gingrich: Bernie Sanders' $3.5 trillion big government bill and a prediction
- 14 Dems break ranks, sign onto GOP measure to increase defense spending by nearly $25B
- GOP's critical race theory amendments for defense bill voted down by Dem-led House Armed Services Committee

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TODAY'S MUST-READS:
- Candace Owens denied medical treatment as Colorado lab cancels COVID test appointment
- New Orleans 911 operator sought after deliberately disconnecting calls, police say
- California superintendent not sure Antifa teacher had been reported before Project Veritas exposed him
- ISIS 'Beatles' member pleads guilty, faces life in prison
- CJ Stroud's four TDs help Ohio State in win over Minnesota

THE LATEST FROM FOX BUSINESS:
- Amazon to proactively remove more content that violates rules from cloud service -sources
- General Motors is temporarily pausing production at eight US factories
- August hiring may have slowed due to delta variant
- Gun maker grapples with low inventory amid record sales
- High-profile FDA resignations cause a 'mess' for Biden amid vaccine debate

CLICK HERE TO PLAY FOX NEWS’ CROSSWORD PUZZLE OF THE WEEK 

SOME PARTING WORDS

Roice McCollum and Jim McCollum, the sister and father of Lance Cpl. Rylee McCollum who was killed in the Aug. 26 attack on Kabul’s airport, joined "Hannity" on Thursday to express their sorrow and explain why they decided against meeting with President Biden.

"Everything he has done was completely wrong," Jim McCollum said. "We had opportunities to do this the right way and we absolutely failed miserably as an administration."

The Gold Star father said Biden White House "couldn’t have picked a worse way" to go about ending the 20-year Afghanistan war.

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Fox News First was compiled by Fox News' Jack Durschlag. Thank you for making us your first choice in the morning! Have a great holiday weekend, stay safe and we’ll see you in your inbox first thing Tuesday.