We must be cautious in reviewing any/all media articles about the fluid situation in Afghanistan, as both Leftist and NeoCon media are framing the crisis story to fit their preferred narrative. All DC media reporting should be viewed through the prism of cynicism and skepticism.
CNN is reporting the State Dept. Narrative that Taliban have surrounded the Kabul airport and there is no safe way for Americans to reach the evacuation point. However, the Pentagon is reporting that the Taliban is “not interfering in their mission” to facilitate the evacuation of Americans, and Taliban members “are not stopping U.S. citizens with American passports” from traveling to the airport.
When we review a State Department position (DoS) on anything, it should be noted that DoS personnel are, by ideological tribe, very dramatic, tender and pearl-clutching leftists in their worldview. State Department officials are the wokeist of the international woke community. As a consequence of their alignment and role, CNN is almost identically predisposed to the dramatic flair.

CNN takes the DoS bulletin and proclaims that Americans are trapped outside the airport by the Taliban. There is no evidence of this claim being accurate. There’s a difference between “we cannot ensure safe passage”, and “your passage is unsafe.” Yes, things are sketchy and unstable, but there have been no reports of safety incidents with any Americans.
Apparently, the communications goal from the White House team was to create a strawman argument around the decision to withdraw from Afghanistan, and totally avoid the main point of crisis right now being the method and manner of the withdrawal.
At least seven people were killed at the airport, many fell to their deaths as they clung to the outside of U.S. C-17 transport planes. Horrific videos have surfaced showing desperation amid the humanitarian crisis. The AFP is reporting:

The AP is reporting that emergency evacuations have sped up the timeline to avoid the most embarrassing optics for the Biden administration. An additional 1,000 troops from the 82nd Airborne are en-route to support the previously announced 3,000 U.S. troops handling the evacuation. That is a total of 4,000 new military troops sent to Kabul to support the previous 1,000. Keep in mind the original Afghan withdrawal was 2,500 troops in total.