US President Joe Biden's photo, taken during a virtual meeting on the Afghanistan crisis at Camp David, has run into controversy. The photograph released by the White House appears to have revealed the faces and locations of the country's intelligence agents on foreign soil.
Biden's photo op came after he received a lot of criticism for vacationing at Camp David as armed Taliban insurgents took over Afghanistan on Sunday.
CIA Operatives Were Part of Biden's Virtual Meeting
In a tweet, the White House posted an image of Biden sitting alone in a conference room at Camp David. There was a screen in front of him which showed the faces of Vice President Kamala Harris along with other officials participating in the virtual meeting.
"This morning, the President and Vice President met with their national security team and senior officials to hear updates on the draw down of our civilian personnel in Afghanistan, evacuations of SIV applicants and other Afghan allies, and the ongoing security situation in Kabul," the tweet read.
However, a closer inspection of the screen revealed that the meeting was attended by CIA officials and three men at the Doha Station. The boxes were labeled "CIA" and "Doha Station". The picture also revealed their faces.
Richard Grenell, former acting director of national intelligence in the Trump administration, tweeted about the blunder, "Who took this picture outing intel officials? Dear God."
Biden Slammed for Blowing Operatives' Cover
Soon the image went viral on social media, with many slamming the US President for blowing the cover of his operatives on foreign soil. "Heck of a job, White House communications shop. I figure you would want to crop out the teleconference screens labeled "CIA" and "Doha Station." You panicking amateur idiots," tweeted National Review's Jim Geraghty.
"Umm, is the public supposed to see the faces of the CIA agents? Are we supposed to know there is a Doha Station?" tweeted a user.
"This picture has what appears to be the faces of the CIA guys in charge of the Doha station, making it all the more surreal," read another tweet.
"Special thanks to the Federal employees who tweeted out photos of people marked "CIA" and "Doha Station." Well done," opined a user.
"Notice that the White House didn't censor the faces of those working at the Doha (CIA) station. Absolute incompetence. Unbelievable incompetence," wrote a user.
This picture has what appears to be the faces of the CIA guys in charge of the Doha station, making it all the more surreal.
— Jim Crumley (@JimCrumley) August 15, 2021
