White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby might be a more skilled communicator than many others in the Biden administration, but that did not stop him from making a careless mistake that exposed his true feelings about veterans who are upset about Biden’s disastrous troop withdrawal from Afghanistan.
As Fox News reported, he erroneously sent an email to a broader chain of recipients than intended, and the cable news outlet was among them.
“Obviously no use in responding. A ‘handful’ of vets indeed and all of one stripe,” Kirby said in a “reply all” email chain Wednesday afternoon that appeared to be intended for White House staffers, but which also included Fox News Digital.
Fox News Digital had reached out to the White House earlier Wednesday afternoon regarding critical comments from four veterans, including Rep. Cory Mills, R-Fla., who blasted Kirby for his Monday press conference that they said provided “cover” for the Biden administration’s 2021 withdrawal.
Included in that initial reachout were quotes from the four veterans, and Fox News Digital asked the White House if it had any comment to include on the vets’ blistering criticisms of Kirby and the White House’s handling of the Afghanistan withdrawal. The email chain was forwarded to White House staffers on the National Security Council, before Kirby replied to all on the chain that there’s “no use in responding.”
Kirby’s message was sent in error, with him following up with a Fox News Digital reporter, “Clearly, I didn’t realize you were on the chain.” Kirby sent the email while traveling with President Biden on the anniversary of 9/11.
The incident sparked widespread discussion on social media:
John Kirby is a DISGRACE!!
In an accidental reply to Fox News, he stated that there was NO NEED to respond to “a handful of vets” about the BOTCHED Biden-Harris withdrawal from Afghanistan!! 13 American service members DIED and he DOESN’T CARE!!
This administration has NO…
— Ronny Jackson (@RonnyJacksonTX) September 12, 2024
John Kirby gives you the inside look on what the Biden White House actually thinks of veterans.
Fox News reached out for comment on a story about veterans criticizing the Afghan withdrawal.
Kirby accidentally hit reply all and said “no use in responding to a handful of vets.” pic.twitter.com/I0u1jkVLln
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) September 11, 2024
🚨 John Kirby's an Insensitive Walking Talking Blunder: A Disgrace to Our Veterans 🇺🇸
On this solemn day, 9/11, when we remember the sacrifices of our heroes, John Kirby, the White House's mouthpiece, accidentally let the world see his true colors. In an email mishap, Kirby was… pic.twitter.com/X0baV0xvQt
— Truth Patriot (@Truth2Everyone) September 12, 2024
John Kirby is a bad guy and is also just plain bad at his job.https://t.co/sTeVfhwBxI pic.twitter.com/POjY9xotdG
— Jerry Dunleavy IV 🇺🇸 (@JerryDunleavy) September 11, 2024
Breitbart offered some additional context:
On Monday, Kirby pushed back against a House Republican report on the Afghanistan withdrawal by blaming former President Donald Trump for, among other things, negotiating with the Taliban — ignoring the fact that talks with the Taliban actually began under the Obama administration, via Qatar, in 2013, in Obama’s second term in office.
Kirby retired from the U.S. Navy as a Rear Admiral. He served as Pentagon spokesman during the Afghanistan pullout, including the murder of 13 U.S. service members in the ISIS-K terror attack at Abbey Gate in August 2021.
The Biden-Harris administration continues to receive fierce criticism over the 2021 Afghanistan withdrawal:
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!