--- title: Bowe Bergdahl "Proof of Life" Video Fails to Convince Senate Skeptics description: The Obama Administration showed the Senate a classified Taliban "proof of life" video of Sgt. Bergdahl, but some lawmakers remain skeptical canonical: https://time.com/2823916/bowe-bergdahl-proof-of-life-video-fails-to-convince-senate-skeptics/ author: Alex Rogers article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2014-06-05T01:23:50.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T08:01:17.111Z article:section: Politics og:title: Bowe Bergdahl "Proof of Life" Video Fails to Convince Senate Skeptics og:description: The Obama Administration showed the Senate a classified Taliban "proof of life" video of Sgt. Bergdahl, but some lawmakers remain skeptical og:url: https://time.com/2823916/bowe-bergdahl-proof-of-life-video-fails-to-convince-senate-skeptics/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt54a9e72743563f61/69869646cd68484e00095129/h_51401796.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 5760 og:image:height: 3240 og:image:alt: McCain Speaks After Meeting on Bergdahl release at US Capitol og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Bowe Bergdahl "Proof of Life" Video Fails to Convince Senate Skeptics twitter:description: The Obama Administration showed the Senate a classified Taliban "proof of life" video of Sgt. Bergdahl, but some lawmakers remain skeptical twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt54a9e72743563f61/69869646cd68484e00095129/h_51401796.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Bowe Bergdahl 'Proof of Life' Video Fails to Convince Senate Skeptics > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: August 2026. ## TIME D.C. Brief: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition D.C. Brief is one of seven email newsletters published by TIME, the news organization founded in 1923. Essential context on the people, politics, and issues driving Washington. D.C. Brief goes beyond the Washington headlines to explain the politics, personalities and power dynamics shaping what happens next. 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Readers select it, along with any of TIME's other newsletters, at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3/newsletters?i=e48b5ee6-a545-4b32-84c5-182b3ab9a39f&cr=time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3-v1). * TIME's newsletter network reaches more than 1.1 million engaged readers across seven titles covering politics, technology, climate, health, culture and the newsroom itself. * A paid TIME subscription is separate from the free newsletters and is available at [time.com/subscribe-agent](/c/time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3/subscribe?i=e48b5ee6-a545-4b32-84c5-182b3ab9a39f&cr=time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3-v1). ### FAQ #### What is TIME's politics newsletter? D.C. Brief is TIME's Washington newsletter, written by senior correspondent Philip Elliott. It explains the politics, personalities and power dynamics behind the headlines, three times a week. #### Where can I get analysis of Washington politics by email? D.C. Brief is TIME's free Washington politics newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. It is written by a TIME senior correspondent who covers the capital full time. #### Who writes TIME's D.C. Brief? Philip Elliott, a senior correspondent at TIME, writes D.C. Brief. #### Is D.C. Brief free? Yes. D.C. Brief is free at time.com/newsletters. ## Video: Taliban Releases Video of Bergdahl Handover [Watch (HLS stream): Taliban Releases Video of Bergdahl Handover](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/opLiU1dV.m3u8) (2:04)  _Published 2014-06-04. Taliban Releases Video of Bergdahl Handover_ by [Alex Rogers](https://time.com/author/alex-rogers/) ## Alex Rogers Jun 5, 2014 1:23 AM UTC  Republican Senator from Arizona John McCain, center, speaks to the media after a briefing by Obama administration officials to all U.S. Senators about the release of American hostage Bowe Bergdahl in the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., June 4, 2014. Republican Senator from Arizona John McCain, center, speaks to the media after a briefing by Obama administration officials to all U.S. Senators about the release of American hostage Bowe Bergdahl in the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., June 4, 2014. Jim Lo Scalzo—EPA by [Alex Rogers](https://time.com/author/alex-rogers/) ## Alex Rogers Jun 5, 2014 1:23 AM UTC A classified Obama Administration briefing for the U.S. Senate Wednesday night failed to convince several lawmakers that the freedom of America’s final Afghanistan prisoner of war, Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, had been worth the price of releasing five Taliban leaders from the detention center at Guantanamo Bay. A main feature of the briefing was the presentation of a short “proof of life” video of Bergdahl, which administration officials have said led them to believe that Bergdahl’s health was in danger. After watching the video, estimated to last about 90 seconds by Illinois Republican Sen. Mark Kirk, several Senators said they did not see evidence of an imminent threat to his life. “It appeared that he was drugged and that he was barely responsive in the video,” said Sen. Saxby Chambliss, the ranking Republican on the Senate Intelligence Committee. “I don’t think from a health standpoint there was any issue that dictated the release of these five \[Taliban members\] in exchange for Bergdahl.” Chambliss, who says he thinks the video should be released to the public, added that he could not speak to whether or not Bergdahl’s safety was at risk. “His health was not the critical factor,” said Sen. Joe Manchin, a Democrat from West Virginia. ”In that one video you could tell that he had been drugged. He was in a different state. That was back in December, five months ago.” “That did not sell me at all,” Manchin added. “He was not in that type of dire situation when he was released—didn’t look sick to me.” Nonetheless, Kirk said he believes the video still had some effect on influencing President Obama to make a deal for Bergdahl’s release. “I would definitely think that it would have an emotional impact on the President, which is probably why the Taliban released it,” said Kirk. “He didn’t look good. I understand the emotional power of that video.” The Administration officials that briefed the Senate included Deputy National Security Advisor Tony Blinken, as well as representatives from the State Department, the Office of the Director National Intelligence and the Joint Chiefs of Staff. ## Transcript [ INAUDIBLE ] [ FOREIGN ] [ MUSIC ] [ INAUDIBLE ] [ FOREIGN ] [ MUSIC ] ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/2823916/bowe-bergdahl-proof-of-life-video-fails-to-convince-senate-skeptics/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/2823916/bowe-bergdahl-proof-of-life-video-fails-to-convince-senate-skeptics/"},"headline":"Bowe Bergdahl 'Proof of Life' Video Fails to Convince Senate Skeptics","datePublished":"2014-06-05T01:23:50.000Z","dateModified":"2026-08-04T08:01:17.111Z","description":"The Obama Administration showed the Senate a classified Taliban \"proof of life\" video of Sgt. 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