Pentagon Review Panel Claims Discovery of Classified Documents Related to Afghanistan Withdrawal

The chairman of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s panel reviewing the 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan claimed on Wednesday that it found classified documents about the military operation in a safe. Sean Parnell, who also serves as the Pentagon’s spokesperson, made the statement in a video tribute on the fifth anniversary of the Abbey Gate terror attack at the Kabul airport that resulted in the deaths of 13 U.S. service members. Parnell did not disclose the contents of the documents, which he described as a significant discovery. He stated that the classified documents were 'highly relevant' and consisted of material 'that should have been disclosed.' Parnell indicated that the documents had been 'stashed and hidden away in safes where they would not be found.' He noted, 'And after the team reviewed these documents, it became clear why someone tried to hide them,' without providing further details. The Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding the contents of the documents, their location, or whether the federal government plans to make them public. The announcement came shortly before Hegseth held an event recognizing Marines with upgraded valor awards for their contributions to the operation. Parnell mentioned that these service members should have received the valor awards earlier but did not due to 'the record did not fully reflect' their actions. This change occurred after the review panel's investigation progressed. Hegseth tasked Parnell in May 2025 with leading the Afghanistan Withdrawal Special Review Panel, a federal investigation into the military operation that took place under the Biden administration. Congressional Republicans initiated a separate investigation into the operation in 2023, resulting in a 200-page report released in September 2024 that accused the Biden administration of 'creating an unsafe environment' that exposed federal personnel to 'lethal threats.' The report largely omitted the role of President Donald Trump’s administration in the lead-up to the withdrawal. Parnell stated in April that the new probe would be more comprehensive than the Republican-led effort commissioned under former Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, arguing that the first probe was 'over-classified at the highest levels, which effectively kept the most critical and relevant information from public scrutiny.' Parnell noted that his investigation has completed interviews with military figures involved in the planning and execution of the withdrawal and has reviewed 9 million documents. It remains unclear when the panel's findings will be made public.