On the anniversary of the attack that left 13 U.S. service members dead during Joe Biden’s botched military withdrawal from Afghanistan, Donald Trump paid a respectful visit to Arlington National Cemetery to mark the somber occasion.
Neither Joe Biden nor Kamala Harris bothered to make an appearance, but that did not stop the latter from attacking Trump on social media for allegedly using the event for political gain.
As Vice President, I have had the privilege of visiting Arlington National Cemetery several times. It is a solemn place; a place where we come together to honor American heroes who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service of this nation.
It is not a place for politics.
And…
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) August 31, 2024
Almost immediately, individuals who lost loved ones in service to this country began speaking out against Harris’ comment and in support of Trump, as the Daily Caller reported:
Gold Star families spoke out against Vice President Kamala Harris after she weighed in on the controversy surrounding former President Donald Trump’s visit to Arlington Cemetery to honor the 13 soldiers killed in the Biden administration’s Afghanistan withdrawal.
Harris posted a tweet Saturday slamming Trump for filming videos while honoring the fallen soldiers, adding that she, unlike the former president, “will always honor the service and sacrifice of all of America’s fallen heroes.” Eight Gold Star families took to Twitter to rebuke Harris’s comments, explaining that they invited Trump to the cemetery for the ceremony and have never heard from the vice president in the three years since they lost their children in the August 2021 terrorist attack in Kabul.
Trump shared several of those responses in his own replies to Harris’ initial post:
Mark Schmitz, Father of Lance Corporal Jared M. Schmitz… https://t.co/CHNRzcTa0J pic.twitter.com/pRLF9tS7Jn
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 1, 2024
Darin Hoover, Father of Staff Sgt. Taylor Hoover… https://t.co/CHNRzcTa0J pic.twitter.com/ANQaSfjcUs
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 1, 2024
Steve Nikoui, Father of Lance Corporal Kareem M. Nikoui… https://t.co/CHNRzcTa0J pic.twitter.com/e7uRJo8ViA
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 1, 2024
Trump has defended his presence at the cemetery as well as the photos that subsequently emerged. According to NBC News:
Trump last week defended the photos and videos he took at the cemetery, telling NBC News in Michigan on Thursday that a Gold Star family “asked me whether or not I would stand for a picture at the grave of their loved one who should not have died.”
He said he didn’t initiate the photo, adding: “While I was there, I didn’t ask for a picture. While I was there, they said, ‘Sir, could we have a picture at the grave?’”
Here’s a clip of Trump responding to the leftist backlash over his visit to the cemetery:
Join the conversation!
Please share your thoughts about this article below. We value your opinions, and would love to see you add to the discussion!