Former President Donald Trump has released a powerful statement from the Gold Star families of the 13 U.S. service members killed during the Biden administration’s chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan.
The families condemned Vice President Kamala Harris for what they described as a “disgraceful” attempt to politicize Trump’s recent visit to Arlington National Cemetery.
In a post on X, Trump shared a joint statement from the families, including relatives of Marine Corps Sgt. Nicole Gee, Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Jared Schmitz, Marine Corps Cpl. Hunter Lopez, Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Rylee McCollum, Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Kareem Nikoui, Marine Corps Cpl. Humberto Sanchez, and Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Taylor Hoover.
The families expressed their outrage at Harris’s statement, which labeled Trump’s cemetery visit as a “political stunt.”
“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 read. “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.”
Trump’s visit to Arlington National Cemetery occurred on the three-year anniversary of the Abbey Gate bombing.
During the visit, Trump laid wreaths in honor of Marine Sgt. Nicole Gee, Staff Sgt. Darin Hoover, and Army Staff Sgt. Ryan Knauss. He was joined by former Marines Tyler Vargas-Andrews and Kelsee Lainhart, both of whom were severely wounded in the attack.
In his response to the Gold Star families’ statement, Trump thanked them for inviting him to the ceremony and blasted both Harris and President Joe Biden for their handling of the Afghanistan withdrawal, which he described as “incompetent.”
Trump stated, “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.”
The controversy surrounding Trump’s visit was further fueled by a recent NPR article. The article alleged that Trump campaign officials had been involved in a “verbal and physical altercation” with a cemetery official who tried to prevent them from filming and taking photos in Section 60 of the cemetery.
However, the families made it clear that Trump’s presence at the cemetery was by their invitation and was intended to honor their fallen loved ones.
Rep. Michael Waltz (R-FL), a veteran of the Afghan war, was also present at the Arlington event and described it as a “difficult but powerful morning.”
President Biden and Vice President Harris both remained absent from the Arlington ceremony. The White House cited a lack of invitation as the reason for their non-attendance.
Instead, Biden and Harris issued separate statements commemorating the fallen service members.
Harris’s statement reiterated her belief that Biden’s decision to end America’s longest war was both “courageous and right.”