As the parents of as Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, Jani Bergdahl (left) and Bob Bergdahl (right) look on, President Obama (center) makes a statement regarding the release of their son Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl by the Taliban, May 31, 2014, in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, DC. Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl was taken prisoner after leaving his base in east Afghanistan on June 30, 2009. UPI/J.H. Owen/Pool | License Photo

President Obama (center) walks with the parents of Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, Jani Bergdahl (left) and Bob Bergdahl (right) from the Oval Office to make a statement regarding the release of Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl by the Taliban, May 31, 2014, in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, DC. Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl was taken prisoner after leaving his base in east Afghanistan on June 30, 2009. UPI/J.H. Owen/Pool | License Photo

President Obama (right) listens as Bob Bergdahl (center) makes a statement and Jani Bergdahl (left) looks on regarding the release of their son Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl by the Taliban, May 31, 2014, in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, D.C. Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl was taken prisoner after leaving his base in east Afghanistan on June 30, 2009. UPI/J.H. Owen/Pool | License Photo

President Obama (center) walks with the parents of Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, Jani Bergdahl (left) and Bob Bergdahl (right) back to the Oval Office after making a statement regarding the release of Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl by the Taliban, May 31, 2014, in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, D.C. UPI/J.H. Owen/Pool | License Photo

Bob Bergdahl (center) speaks about the release of his son Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl as his wife Jani Bergdahl (left) and President Obama (right) look on, following a statement by President Obama regarding the release of their son Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl by the Taliban, May 31, 2014, in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, DC. Sgt. Bergdahl was taken prisoner after leaving his base in east Afghanistan on June 30, 2009. UPI/J.H. Owen/Pool | License Photo

Jani Bergdahl (left) speaks about the release of her son Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl as his husband Bob Bergdahl (center) and President Obama (right) look on, following a statement by President Obama regarding the release of their son Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl by the Taliban, May 31, 2014, in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, DC. Sgt. Bergdahl was taken prisoner after leaving his base in east Afghanistan on June 30, 2009. UPI/J.H. Owen/Pool | License Photo

WASHINGTON, June 1 (UPI) -- U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel said Sunday the United States acted quickly to make an exchange with the Taliban to exchange five prisoners for Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl because his health was deteriorating.

U.S. President Barack Obama announced the release of Bergdahl on Saturday, an exchange made with the Taliban an Afghanistan for five prisoners held at Guantanamo Bay.


Obama bypassed Congress to arrange the deal, causing some to criticize the move. Hagel said it was necessary.

"It was our judgment that if we could find an opening, we needed to get him out of there, essentially to save his life," Hagel said.

RELATED Rift within Pakistani Taliban prompts factions to splinter

"We believed that the information we had, the intelligence we had, was such that Sgt. Bergdahl's safety and health were both in jeopardy and in particular his health deteriorating," Hagel added. "It was our judgment that if we could find an opening and move very quickly with that opening, that we needed to get him out of there essentially to save his life. I know President Obama feels very strongly about that, I do as well."

Bergdahl, 28, was transported to Landstuhl Medical Center in Germany after five years of captivity with the Taliban. His condition wasn't reported.

"When you can bring one of your own people home, when you think of what he has endured the last five years — my own experiences in Vietnam as we had POWs taken," Mr. Hagel told reporters aboard his flight to Afghanistan, appearing to struggle for words. "I am intensely happy and gratified."

RELATED Afghan police officers kidnapped by Taliban

Obama announced the release Saturday during a news conference with Bergdahl's parents.

"While Bowe was gone, he was never forgotten," the President said.

"We will continue to stay strong for Bowe while he recovers," the sergeant's mother, Jani, said.

"The complicated nature of this recovery will never really be comprehended," his father, Bob, added.

RELATED Taliban attacks kill at least 20 in Afghanistan

RELATED White House promises CIA will stop using fake vaccine programs in operations