Gold Star parents directed anger toward the Biden-Harris administration on the third anniversary of the suicide bomb attack that took the lives of 13 American service members during the rapid withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Mark Schmitz, father of late Marine Lance Cpl. Jared Schmitz, told Fox News on Monday, regarding Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris, “She owns this as much as [Joe Biden] does.”
“She’s following in the policies that Joe Biden has ushered in during his presidency and obviously, neither one of them know what the heck they’re doing. And that terrifies me, because we know we can’t bring our kids back,” he argued.
Similarly, Gold Star mother Shana Chappell — whose son Marine Lance Cpl. Kareem Nikoui died during Abbey Gate attack outside the Kabul airport — told Fox, “I blame Biden for the death of my son, so anything I have to say to the Biden-Harris administration would probably not be something that could be shared on the news.”
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“The Biden administration is 100 percent at fault for why my son lost his life, and now I look at the way our country is going, and I think this is not what my son died for. He did not die to watch our country go down the path that it’s going,” she said.
WATCH: “I blame Biden for the death of my son…” says Shana Chappell, mother of fallen hero Marine LCpl Kareem Nikoui, one of the 13 US Servicemembers killed 3 years ago today in the IS-K terror attack in Afghanistan at Abbey Gate @FoxFriendsFirst @13SoCaLangeL13 pic.twitter.com/hfNL3jcgi1
— Griff Jenkins (@GriffJenkins) August 26, 2024
In a separate interview on Real America’s Voice, Schmitz contrasted the way former President Donald Trump commemorated the anniversary, by attending a ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery, with the way Biden was at his Rehoboth beach house in Delaware.
Should Joe Biden and Kamala Harris admit they were wrong about Afghanistan?
Co-host Amanda Head noted that Biden had put out a statement to mark the anniversary, which listed the 13 service members names.
“Because we must never forget the immense price that was paid for our freedom. We must never forget that each beloved service member we lost was a human being, who left behind entire families and communities. And together, we must never stop striving to be worthy of their ultimate sacrifice,” the statement read.
Schmitz responded, “Let’s be clear, Biden’s putting sun tan lotion on at the beach today. He wasn’t personally typing up anything to … our families. It was his aides doing that.”
“It’s sad that it’s taken three years for Biden to put into print the names of the victims from the withdrawal from Afghanistan.” – Mark Schmitz, father of Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Jared M. Schmitz.
Watch MORE: https://t.co/xmSGihshdd
Watch RAV LIVE: https://t.co/aeKhZCtVbe pic.twitter.com/ezpPLtqyNw
— Real America’s Voice (RAV) (@RealAmVoice) August 26, 2024
“It’s pretty sad that it’s taken three years to even put into print the names of those that he got killed,” the father added.
Schmitz also pointed out that Harris confirmed that she was “the last one in the room” when Biden made his decision about Afghanistan.
In April 2021, after Biden’s call to leave quickly, CNN’s Dana Bash asked Harris, “Were you the last person in the room?”
“Yes,” Harris answered.
“And you feel comfortable?” Bash followed up, to which Harris responded, “I do.”
Kamala Harris was the last person in the room when the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan was ordered, leading to 13 American service members being killed. Harris bragged about her role on-camera. pic.twitter.com/jGEWx68pff
— Jason Miller (@JasonMillerinDC) August 26, 2024
Harris also released a statement to mark the anniversary reiterating her belief that Biden made the “courageous and right decision.”
“Today and everyday, I mourn and honor them,” Harris said. “My prayers are with their families and loved ones. My heart breaks for their pain and their loss. These 13 devoted patriots represent the best of America, putting our beloved nation and their fellow Americans above themselves and deploying into danger to keep their fellow citizens safe.”
Harris has been off the campaign trail since last week’s Democratic National Convention.
Schmitz appreciated how Trump went to Arlington National Cemetery on Monday, noting that the former president had actually called him about a week after his son’s death to offer his condolences.
Trump honors the 13 fallen US service members killed during the botched Afghanistan withdrawal: pic.twitter.com/rtQOt7O12z
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) August 26, 2024
Trump also invited Gold Star families to his club in Bedminster, New Jersey, where he met with them for a six-hour round table discussion and had dinner with them.
“That’s a leader,” Schmitz said. “He recognized what was important.”
