Joe Biden has snapped at an interviewer who challenged him over heartbreaking images of Afghans falling to their deaths outside Kabul Airport.
Shocking images emerged after the Taliban's takeover of escapees clinging to the side of a military plane, and two were seen falling off after it went airborne.
Last night the US President was interviewed after he defended the way US troops withdrew from Afghanistan, ceding ground to the Taliban in days despite a 20-year fight.
He has also faced condemnation over his bid to shift the blame to the Afghan Army, saying: "American troops cannot and should not be fighting in a war and dying in a war that Afghan forces are not willing to fight for themselves."
But when asked about some of the scenes that have been documented during the evacuation he snapped at the interviewer.
George Stephanopoulos said to him: "We've all seen the pictures. We've seen those hundreds of people packed in a C-17. We've seen Afghans falling -."
The US president then interrupted: "That was four days ago, five days ago.
"What I thought was, we have to gain control of this. We have to move this more quickly.
"We have to move in a way in which we can take control of that airport. And we did."
In an interview with ABC News, his first since Kabul fell, Joe Biden stood by the decision to pull out of the country.
Asked if the exit could have been handled better he said: "No, I don't think it could have been handled in a way that, we're gonna go back in hindsight and look - but the idea that somehow, there's a way to have gotten out without chaos ensuing, I don't know how that happens."
He went on: "One of the things we didn't know is what the Taliban would do in terms of trying to keep people from getting out. What they would do. What are they doing now?
"They're cooperating, letting American citizens get out, American personnel get out, embassies get out, etc, but they're having - we're having some more difficulty having those who helped us when we were in there."
It came after UK politicians lined up to condemn the President's attempt to defend the withdrawal - first negotiated by Donald Trump - and shift the blame to Afghan forces.
Ex-solider Tom Tugendhat was applauded for a moving Commons speech as he recalled the loss of war - and savaged Joe Biden.
“To see their commander in chief call into the question the courage of men I fought with, to claim that they ran is shameful," Mr Tugendhat said.
“Those who have not fought for the colours they fly should be careful about criticising those who have.”
Labour MP Dan Jarvis, who served in the British armed forces in Afghanistan, also blasted President Biden for his “distasteful and dishonouring” blaming of the Afghan armed forces.
