White House National Security Communications Adviser John Kirby held a gaggle of calls with reporters on Monday as he spoke about the third anniversary of the deadly Abbey Gate terror bombing at Kabul airport during Biden’s withdrawal from Afghanistan that killed 13 service members and more than 150 Afghans. and injured dozens. apart.
One reporter asked Kirby why Biden, on vacation in Delaware, or Kamala Harris, hiding from reporters in Washington, held a public commemoration of the anniversary of Trump-like attacks in Arlington Cemetery Monday morning with some Gold Star and Abbey Gate families. survived. Kirby said Trump was personally invited by the families of those who died, meaning Biden and Harris were not invited.
Biden and Harris issued separate statements on Monday on the anniversary of the attack. Biden’s statement at this link. Harris’ statement at this link.
can’t be trusted.
Trump was at Arlington Cemetery honoring the 13 American heroes who died at Abbey Gate during the retreat from Afghanistan.
Meanwhile, the leaders who did it – President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris – could not be found. pic.twitter.com/9ygdgmNR0i
— Kristina Wong (@kristina_wong) August 26, 2024
Excerpts from the White House transcript of Kirby’s off-camera call:
MODERATOR: Next we’ll go to Francesca Chambers.
Q Thank you, Kirby. Charge. Two questions. The first is about what is happening with Hezbollah in the Middle East. The President sent the Joint Chiefs of Staff over the weekend on a surprise visit. What do you hope to accomplish with the visit? What do you want to learn?
And then, secondly, going back to the opening speech on Afghanistan, why are the President and the Vice President releasing separate statements now? And why does the White House feel the need to host or attend public events like former President Donald Trump does today? thanks.
Mr. KIRBY: Well, a couple of things.
I mean, first of all, in the Chairman’s trip, it is always useful when the Joint Chairman has the opportunity to visit and meet and learn from partners abroad. And obviously, with everything that’s going on in the Middle East and the increased troop posture that we’ve contributed in that region, it makes sense at this particular time for the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs to go there and talk.
And I’m sure — I’m not going to speak for Chairman Brown, of course, but I’m sure he learned a lot, and he got a chance to see firsthand what our military’s preparedness is and got a chance to thank the men and women who are stationed there or serving there. So, there are many good reasons at this time for the most senior military officers to visit.
Then, on the second question, I would say that there are many ways that we as a nation and as leaders can celebrate the third anniversary of Abbey Gate. And Mr. Trump was invited by at least one, I can say several, from his family to lay a wreath in Arlington, and it is certainly a way to recognize sacrifice and loss. But this is a personal invitation from the family, and of course I will let them speak about it and their wishes. But that’s the way.
Another way is to continue to work, maybe not with fun, maybe not a lot of public attention, maybe not with TV cameras, but to work hard and main every day to make sure that the family – from the fall and those who are injured and the wounded, not only at Abbey Gate but over the course of the 20-odd years we were in Afghanistan, have the support they need.
And you don’t have to look very far at the track record of the President and the First Lady and the track record of the Vice President over the past three and a half years to see how dedicated they are to our military men and women and our veterans and their families, everything from Joining Forces to Acting PACT and several other steps taken by this administration to ensure that we will meet, as the President has described, our true and sacred obligations as a country. There is so much going on.
And the President, the Vice President, the First Lady, the Second Gentleman, they take that responsibility very seriously. You may not see people every day. You may not get headlines every day. There may be no press release. But this does not mean that the work is not active, and that the same respect and admiration for everyone who is now or has ever served in uniform remains the highest priority for them.
A vigil at Arlington National Cemetery Monday morning was a touching tribute by President Trump.
Trump participated in three wreath-laying ceremonies at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier for three of the fallen with family members and wounded Abbey Gate survivors.
Video of the ceremony below. At the end of the wreath-laying ceremony, Iraq war veteran, former Member of Congress and current Army Reserve Lt. Col. Tulsi Gabbard can be seen with a group of veterans who look a little surprised:
Gabbard, still visibly shaken, spoke about her experience in Arlington in a Fox News interview about her endorsement on President Trump’s day. Gabbard said Trump met for several hours with his family in Arlington.
Trump also visited the graves of those who died.
@realDonaldTrumpspoke by phone to the family of SSG Ryan Knauss who could not come today, because they were laying flowers on the grave of their son … pic.twitter.com/QNUELSPJKA
— Chris LaCivita (@LaCivitaC) August 26, 2024
— Dan Scavino Jr. (@DanScavino) August 26, 2024
President @realDonaldTrump visit @ArlingtonNatl Graveside this morning to lay wreaths with Gold Star families on the graves of brave men & women who died 3 years ago today as Afghanistan retreats in 2021.
Pictured with the family of Sgt.… pic.twitter.com/VKsbShGWWC
— Corey R. Lewandowski (@CLewandowski_) August 26, 2024
We honor the 13 KIA from Abbey Gate but also the wounded pic.twitter.com/a4rddgx8ie
— Rep. Mike Waltz (@michaelgwaltz) August 26, 2024
Sgt. Nicole L. Gee
Cpl. Daegan Page
LCpl. David Espinoza
LCpl. Dylan Merola
Cpl. Humberto Sanchez
Cpl. Hunter Lopez
Sgt. Johanny Rosario Pichardo
SSG. Ryan Knauss
LCpl. Kareem Nikoui
Seaman Maxton Soviak
Sgt. Darin Hoover
LCpl. Jared Schmitz
LCpl. Rylee McCollum— Rep. Mike Waltz (@michaelgwaltz) August 26, 2024
Last photo by New York Times photographer Doug Mills:
During a ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery, @realDonaldTrump laying a wreath in honor of those who died during the bombing of Abbey Gate. With Trump is Marine Cpl. Kelsee Lainhart, paralyzed during the bombing and 13 US service members killed. pic.twitter.com/fthyK7cOFe
— Doug Mills (@dougmillsnyt) August 26, 2024
