On March 23, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo bad a very unproductive visit in Kabul about the Afghan government's post-election split. This culminated with the US pulling $1 billion in military aid from them.

The presidential election saw both Ashraf Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah claiming victory, and ultimately both holding inaugurations. Pompeo demanded that they work out a deal, and warned they'll both be held responsible if they don't work something out.

That was apparently just the beginning of the cuts, the slashing of $1 billion, with a threat of another $1 billion cut for 2021, was followed by Pompeo threatening to withdraw all US troops from Afghanistan in retaliation if the dispute continued. The State Department had not previously reported that part.