'Can't Exhaust Herself Worrying About Afghanistan': 'Out of Office' Jen Psaki Trolled Online

US President Joe Biden was also notably absent when the news about the Taliban seizing power in Afghanistan arrived, giving no comments as to what Washington plans to do about the emerging Islamic Emirate.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki did not give any comments when the global media started reporting about the resignation of Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and the seizure of Kabul by the Taliban. As several media outlets found out, Psaki was unreachable with her email sending out auto-responses that she "will be out of the office from August 15th-August 22nd".

Wow. The auto-reply stated that "the voice of the White House would not be available for the next week. . ."#WheresBiden https://t.co/cpWoQLAvH7

— House Judiciary GOP (@JudiciaryGOP) August 16, 2021

Her absence, when a regime change is taking place in Afghanistan as the US struggles to evacuate its last remaining personnel there, sparked criticism online. House Republican Marsha Blackburn suggested that the top White House spokeswoman should be available at such a "precarious time".

At this precarious time, our nation’s military, veterans, and citizens are asking to hear from their Commander in Chief regarding the situation in Afghanistan. https://t.co/5fCI95ouV2

— Sen. Marsha Blackburn (@MarshaBlackburn) August 16, 2021

While one Twitterian suggested that regardless of whether Psaki had a week off or not, she should have returned to her post as soon as the news about the change of power in Afghanistan broke….

I've cancelled vacations for work before. And I wasn't working for the leader of the free world and the world was in flames….

— BPJ (@bpjauburn) August 16, 2021

… others sarcastically noted that she's had a lot on her plate lately and deserved to have some days without the need to comment on perceived US foreign policy failures.

To be fair, Jen Psaki has had a rough week gracing the pages of Vogue and hanging out with Tik Tok influencers. She can’t exhaust herself worrying about the fall of Afghanistan to terrorists. https://t.co/yW0P53QvNr

— Natalie Johnson (@nataliejohnsonn) August 16, 2021

Some netizens alleged that her absence during the week following the Taliban's victory in Afghanistan was not accidental.

Let's all take off to avoid questions

— Steve_Ampy 🏈 💬 (@steve_ampy) August 16, 2021

Biden is MIA and now his mouthpiece Psaki is supposedly unavailable from 8/15-8/22. Does this look suspicious at all?

— PatriotFLA (@PatriotFromFla) August 16, 2021

One Twitterian suggested that Jen Psaki is not the only one that can handle the job of covering for the Biden administration.

CNN will fill her role

— Ha (@Haxker7) August 16, 2021

Another netizen, sarcastically wondered if White House staffers have been vacating their workplace by helicopter, just like those at the US embassies in Kabul on 15 August and in Saigon in 1975, drawing parallels that the administration had vehemently rejected.

Are the Dems abandoning the White House by helicopter too?

— Johnedelux 🇺🇸 (@johnedelux) August 16, 2021

*The Taliban is a terrorist organisation outlawed in Russia and many other countries.