Democratic Rep. Seth Moulton called Biden's claim that some Afghans didn't want to be evacuated 'utter BS'

• Biden defended not evacuating Afghans earlier, saying some didn't want to leave.
• Moulton said Biden's claim that some Afghans didn't want to leave was "utter BS."
• He cited the backlog of visa applications and videos of people clinging to moving planes.

Democratic Rep. Seth Moulton of Massachusetts slammed President Joe Biden's claim that some Afghans didn't want to be evacuated from the country as the Taliban was seizing control.

Biden gave a speech defending his approach on Monday after the Taliban took control of Kabul much faster than expected, and as scenes showed desperate Afghans flooding Kabul airport in a bid to escape.

"I know there are concerns about why we did not begin evacuating Afghan civilians sooner," he said. "Part of the answer is some of the Afghans did not want to leave earlier, still hopeful for their country."

Moulton told a press conference on Tuesday "that's utter BS," Boston.com reported.

"I mean, don't tell me that Afghans don't want to leave when there's been a backlog of Special Immigrant Visa applications for over a decade," he said.

At least 18,000 people have applications pending for the visas - which those who worked for the US government applied for - with some people applying for them ten years ago, The New York Times reported.

Moulton said: "Don't tell me they don't want to leave when they're literally clinging to airplanes to try to get out of this country. That was the single part of the president's speech that I not only disagreed with but I thought was just utter BS."

Moulton has been one of several lawmakers who served in the military who have criticized the handing of the Afghanistan withdrawal.

Non-profit groups have also criticized Biden's Monday comments.