Former President Donald Trump released a statement on behalf of the Gold Star families of the 13 U.S. service members who were killed during the Biden administration’s withdrawal from Afghanistan.
In a post on X, Trump shared a joint statement from several family members of the fallen soldiers, including Misty Fuoco, sister of Marine Corps Sgt. Nicole Gee; Cheryl Juels, aunt of Gee; Christy Shamblin, mother-in-law of Gee; Mark Schmitz, father of Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Jared Schmitz; Jaclyn Schmitz, stepmother of Schmitz; Herman Lopez, father of Marine Corps Cpl. Hunter Lopez; Jim McCollum, father of Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Rylee McCollum; Steve Nikoui, father of Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Kareem Nikoui; Coral Doolittle, mother of Marine Corps Cpl. Humberto Sanchez; Darin Hoover, father of Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Taylor Hoover; and Kelly Barnett, mother of Hoover.
In their joint statement, the families expressed outrage over Vice President Kamala Harris’s characterization of former President Trump's visit to Arlington National Cemetery as a "political stunt." The families condemned Harris’s remarks as "false, hypocritical, and disrespectful," emphasizing that Trump’s participation in the wreath-laying ceremony was meant to honor their fallen loved ones and all servicemembers who made the ultimate sacrifice.
The statement continued by criticizing Harris for “disgracefully twisting this sacred moment into a political ploy.”
“Today, Gold Star Families who lost their loved ones in the Harris-Biden Administration’s botched withdrawal from Afghanistan released the following joint statement and heartfelt video messages in direct response to Kamala Harris’ false, hypocritical, and disrespectful statement attacking President Trump,” the families stated.
We, the families of the brave service members who were tragically killed in the Abbey Gate bombing, are appalled by Vice President Kamala Harris' recent attempts to politicize President Trump's visit to Arlington National Cemetery," the statement continued. "President Trump was invited by us, the Gold Star families, to attend the solemn ceremonies commemorating the three-year anniversary of our children’s deaths. He was there to honor their sacrifice, yet Vice President Harris has disgracefully twisted this sacred moment into a political ploy."
In response to the families' statement, Trump expressed his gratitude for their support, thanking them for "coming together as one" and acknowledging their appreciation for his attendance at the cemetery ceremony. He sharply criticized Vice President Harris and President Joe Biden, blaming their "incompetence" for the deaths of the service members:
"I want to thank the families of our Great Warriors who have been lost to us for the way they came together as one, and thanked me for attending, at their request, the Celebrating of their wonderful family members who, because of the Incompetence of Kamala Harris and Joe Biden, are no longer with us. Thank you for saying you wanted me to stand with you at Arlington National Cemetery, and take pictures, that it was your request, not mine, but it was my Great Honor to do so. I WILL NEVER FORGET! Lightweight V.P. Kamala Harris tried turning it around, because they weren’t there, have never spoken to the families, and have no intention to do so. In Afghanistan, you don’t take the Soldiers out first, you take the Soldiers out last. This would be Military 101, the most basic, and the 'leaders' of that Disaster should be immediately fired. We have FOOLS in the White House, and now, they are trying to solve the Hostage Crisis in Israel. Guess how that’s going to turn out?"
The families' joint statement was released after Trump shared videos from the Gold Star families on both Truth Social and X. In these videos, the families criticized Harris for her remarks against Trump’s visit to the cemetery.
Harris’s criticism of Trump’s visit to Arlington National Cemetery came shortly after NPR published an article alleging that members of the Trump campaign were involved in a "verbal and physical altercation" with a cemetery official who attempted to prevent them from filming and taking photos in Section 60 of the cemetery.
I want to thank the families of our Great Warriors who have been lost to us for the way they came together as one, and thanked me for attending, at their request, the Celebrating of their wonderful family members who, because of the Incompetence of Kamala Harris and Joe Biden, are no longer with us...
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 1, 2024
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