Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton may be out of politics at the moment, but that’s not stopping her from commenting on events in Washington. She defended President Barack Obama’s decision to swap prisoners with the Taliban in order to secure Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl’s release this weekend.

Clinton took questions at an event in Broomfield, Colorado and defended Obama, who traded five Guantanamo Bay prisoners for Bergdahl. There are still questions about how Bergdahl fell into the Taliban’s hand and the legality of the deal.

“This young man, whatever the circumstances, was an American citizen -- is an American citizen, was serving in our military,” Clinton told the audience on Monday, notes NBC News. She added that she would not second guess the people who made the “hard choices.”

“We do have a tradition - I ascribe to it, it's a tradition that's not only embedded in our military but in our country - and that is we try not to leave any of our soldiers on the field,” Clinton continued. “We try to make sure that, insofar as possible … we bring them home.”

Clinton also said that she hopes the Qatar government, which negotiated with the Taliban on the U.S’ behalf, will follow through with its restrictions on the freed prisoners. They will not be allowed to leave Qatar for at least a year.

Obama also commented on Bergdahl’s release in Warsaw, where he again stood by the decision, notes Time.

“We don't leave our men and women behind,” the president said. “Regardless of the circumstances, whatever those circumstances may turn out to be, we still get an American soldier back if he's held in captivity. We don't condition that.”

Republicans have criticized the decision, noting that the president did not consult with Congress 30 days before releasing the Guantanamo prisoners, as required by law. The White House has said that it needed to move fast to ensure Bergdahl’s safety, though.

Soldiers who served alongside Bergdahl have also called him a deserter, noting that he was captured when he walked off his base five years ago.

image courtesy of Jennifer Graylock/INFphoto.com