Former President Donald Trump released a statement from the Gold Star families of 13 U.S. soldiers killed during the Biden administration's withdrawal from Afghanistan.
in post On the X Channel, President Trump posted a joint statement from Misty Fuoco, sister of Marine Sergeant Nicole Gee, Cheryl Jewels, Gee's aunt, Christy Shamblin, Gee's stepmother, Mark Schmitz, father of Marine Corps Corporal Jared Schmitz, Schmitz's stepmother, Jacqueline Schmitz, Herman Lopez, father of Marine Corps Corporal Hunter Lopez, Jim McCollum, father of Marine Corps Corporal Riley McCollum, Steve Nikoi, father of Marine Corps Corporal Kareem Nikoi, Coral Doolittle, mother of Marine Corps Corporal Humberto Sanchez, Darin Huber, father of Marine Corps Sergeant Taylor Huber, and Kelly Barnett, Huber's mother.
In a joint statement, the families said Vice President Kamala Harris' comments calling Trump's visit to Arlington National Cemetery to take part in a wreath-laying ceremony honoring fallen loved ones and fallen military personnel a “political ploy” were “false, hypocritical and disrespectful.”
In a statement, the families added that Harris “exploited this sacred moment for political tactics.”
“Today, Gold Star families who lost loved ones to the Harris-Biden Administration's failed Afghanistan withdrawal released the following joint statement and heartfelt video message in direct response to Kamala Harris' false, hypocritical and disrespectful comments attacking President Trump,” the statement from the families began.
I want to thank the families of our great warriors who have left us for standing together as one and for attending, at their request, the celebration of their amazing family members who have been lost because of the incompetence of Kamala Harris and Joe Biden. pic.twitter.com/ewkbVniBC0
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 1, 2024
“As family members of the brave military personnel tragically killed in the Abbey Gate bombing, we are appalled by Vice President Kamala Harris' attempt to politicize President Trump's recent visit to Arlington National Cemetery,” the statement continued. “President Trump was invited by us, Gold Star families, to participate in a solemn ceremony marking three years since the deaths of our children. He was there to honor their sacrifice, and yet VP Harris has shamefully exploited this sacred moment for political ploys.”
President Trump responded to the families' statement, thanking them for coming together “in one unity” and attending the ceremony at the graveside, but blasted Harris and President Joe Biden for their “incompetence” and for causing the fallen soldiers to be “no longer with us.”
I want to thank the families of our great fallen warriors for coming together and working with us. I also want to thank them for attending, at their request, the celebration of their wonderful families who are no longer with us because of Kamala Harris and Joe Biden's incompetence. Thank you for asking me to stand with you and take a picture with you at Arlington National Ceremony. It was your request, not mine, but it was such an honor to do so. I will never forget! Lightweight Vice President Kamala Harris tried to turn the situation around by saying they were not there, have not spoken to the families, and have no intention of doing so. In Afghanistan, we do not remove our soldiers first, we remove them last. This is the fundamental of the military and the “leaders” of that disaster should be fired immediately. There is a fool in the White House and they are now trying to solve the Israeli hostage crisis. Guess what?
The families' joint statement came after Trump posted videos on both Truth Social and X of Gold Star families in which they denounced Harris' comments attacking Trump's visit to the cemetery.
Days before Harris made her statement criticizing Trump's visit to Arlington National Cemetery, NPR published a story alleging that members of the Trump campaign had gotten into “altercations and physical altercations” with cemetery officials who tried to prevent the Trump campaign from taking photographs and taking pictures at Section 60 of the cemetery.
