Current:Home > reviewsTrump issues statement from Gold Star families defending Arlington Cemetery visit and ripping Harris -MoneyStream
Trump issues statement from Gold Star families defending Arlington Cemetery visit and ripping Harris
View
Date:2025-04-16 08:37:40
ATLANTA (AP) — Donald Trump’s campaign issued a statement Sunday from the Gold Star military families who invited him to Arlington National Cemetery as they defended the Republican presidential nominee and insisted that Vice President Kamala Harris is the candidate politicizing fallen U.S. service members.
It’s the latest volley in an extended back and forth as Trump tries to saddle Harris with the Biden administration’s handling of the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, including a suicide bombing that killed 13 U.S. service members.
Harris on Saturday accused Trump of staging a “political stunt” that “disrespected sacred ground” where many Afghanistan war dead are buried. Trump and the families of some of those killed in the bombing blame Harris, as they did President Joe Biden before he ended his reelection bid, for their loved ones’ deaths. The families say the former president was honoring their loved ones when he came to Arlington.
His campaign later distributed images of the visit despite the cemetery’s prohibition on partisan activity on the grounds.
“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,” said the relatives’ joint statement. “He was there to honor their sacrifice, yet Vice President Harris has disgracefully twisted this sacred moment into a political ploy.”
Gold Star families have lost a loved one in military service.
Trump laid wreaths last Monday in honor of Sgt. Nicole Gee, Staff Sgt. Darin Hoover and Staff Sgt. Ryan Knauss. They were among 13 U.S. service members and more than 100 Afghans who died in an Aug. 26, 2021, bombing at Hamid Karzai International Airport as U.S. forces withdrew from Afghanistan.
Trump thanked the family members for their statement via social media. “Thank you for saying you wanted me to stand with you ... and take pictures, that it was your request, not mine,” he wrote.
Throughout the weekend, Trump has used his social media accounts to distribute video testimonials from some relatives who signed the joined the statement.
Christy Shamblin, Gee’s mother-in-law, said in a 90-second message that Trump and his aides were “respectful” and a “a comfort” to the families who gathered at Arlington. Then she directly addressed her remarks to Harris.
“Why won’t you return a call and explain how you call my daughter-in-law’s death a success?” Shamblin said. “Why would you take a day where we celebrated the deaths of our loved ones and use it to disparage not only them, but us.”
Biden and first lady Jill Biden went to Dover Air Force Base in 2021 for the ceremony returning the service members’ remains to U.S. soil. The Bidens met privately with family members at Dover. The Bidens were joined at the ceremony by several top aides in the administration, including Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, then-chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley and Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
Shamblin was among the several family members who also spoke at the Republican National Convention in July on Trump’s behalf. Several family members have joined Trump’s running mate, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio, on a conference call with media.
Trump’s appearance ballooned into controversy after defense officials said his campaign was warned about not taking photographs and that there was an altercation between Trump aides and a cemetery employee. Officials have said since that an employee whom two Trump campaign staff members allegedly “verbally abused and pushed” aside has declined to press charges.
What to know about the 2024 Election
- Today’s news: Follow live updates from the campaign trail from the AP.
- We want to hear from you: Are you a nonwhite evangelical planning to vote for Harris? Tell us why you’re supporting her and if you’re campaigning for her.
- Ground Game: Sign up for AP’s weekly politics newsletter to get it in your inbox every Monday.
- AP’s Role: The Associated Press is the most trusted source of information on election night, with a history of accuracy dating to 1848. Learn more.
The Trump campaign has since lashed out at Pentagon officials, with a top campaign adviser, Chris LaCivita, referring to military spokespersons as “hacks.” Trump campaign officials say the campaign had permission to bring someone to take video.
Since Biden ended his reelection bid in July, Trump has been zeroing in on Harris and her roles in foreign policy decisions. He has highlighted the vice president’s statements that she was the last person in the room before Biden made the decision to withdraw from Afghanistan.
Biden’s administration was following a withdrawal commitment and timeline that the Trump administration had negotiated with the Taliban in 2020. A 2022 review by a government-appointed special investigator concluded decisions made by both Trump and Biden were the key factors leading to the rapid collapse of Afghanistan’s military and the Taliban takeover.
Campaigning this year, Trump has said that leaving was the right thing to do but that the Biden administration’s execution was poor.
“We were going to do it with dignity and strength,” he said in a recent speech in Michigan.
veryGood! (32757)
Related
- Woman dies after Singapore family of 3 gets into accident in Taiwan
- Proposed North Carolina law could help families protect land ownership
- Video shows bear hitting security guard in Aspen resort's kitchen before capture
- Syphilis and other STDs are on the rise. States lost millions of dollars to fight and treat them
- Sonya Massey's father decries possible release of former deputy charged with her death
- Proof That Celebrities Enjoy Dressing Up as Other Stars as Much as We Do
- Massachusetts man's house cleaner finds his $1 million missing lottery ticket
- How the Hunger Games Prequel Costumes Connect to Katniss Everdeen
- Trump wants to turn the clock on daylight saving time
- Shein has catapulted to the top of fast fashion -- but not without controversy
Ranking
- FACT FOCUS: Inspector general’s Jan. 6 report misrepresented as proof of FBI setup
- Court rules Carnival Cruises was negligent during COVID-19 outbreak linked to hundreds of cases
- Researchers find signs of rivers on Mars, a potential indicator of ancient life
- Biden will face a primary bid from Rep. Dean Phillips, who says Democrats need to focus on future
- Global Warming Set the Stage for Los Angeles Fires
- Zillow, The Knot find more couples using wedding registries to ask for help buying a home
- Maine city councilor's son died trying to stop mass shooting suspect with a butcher knife, father says
- Model Maleesa Mooney Was Found Dead Inside Her Refrigerator
Recommendation
Mets have visions of grandeur, and a dynasty, with Juan Soto as major catalyst
Five years later, trauma compounds for survivors marking Tree of Life massacre amid Israel-Hamas war
Wisconsin judge rules that GOP-controlled Senate’s vote to fire top elections official had no effect
UN General Assembly set to vote on nonbinding resolution calling for a `humanitarian truce’ in Gaza
Apple iOS 18.2: What to know about top features, including Genmoji, AI updates
You'll soon be able to microwave your ramen: Cup Noodles switching to paper cups in 2024
How law enforcement solved the case of a killer dressed as a clown
Rep. George Santos pleads not guilty to latest federal charges