Top Points:
Condemnation of Biden's Handling of Withdrawal: Gold Star families of the 13 servicemembers killed in the Kabul airport bombing criticized President Biden at the RNC for neglecting their children’s sacrifice and failing to prevent the attack despite known threats.
Praise for Trump's Support: The families expressed gratitude for former President Trump’s compassionate and personal support, contrasting it with their negative experiences with the Biden administration, which they claim pushed them away and silenced their pleas for answers.
Biden's Missteps Highlighted: The families recounted specific instances where Biden made the situation about himself, failed to acknowledge the fallen soldiers publicly, and attempted to frame the chaotic withdrawal as a success, further deepening their grief and anger.
Full Report:
The Gold Star families of the 13 American servicemembers tragically killed in the Kabul airport bombing during President Joe Biden’s chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021 addressed the Republican National Convention (RNC) on Wednesday night. They voiced their deep condemnation of Biden for what they described as his neglect of their children’s sacrifice.
Christy Shamblin and Cheryl Juels, who lost Marine Corps Sgt. Nicole L. Gee, and Alicia and Herman Lopez, parents of Marine Corps Cpl. Hunter Lopez, expressed heartfelt gratitude for former President Trump. They contrasted this with their outrage at the treatment they received from the Biden administration.
The families recounted their personal interactions with Trump, highlighting the hours he spent with them, mourning and discussing their children. They claimed that, in contrast, the Biden administration pushed them away as they sought answers about their children’s deaths.
“While Joe Biden has refused to recognize their sacrifice, Donald Trump spent six hours at Bedminster with us,” Shamblin recalled. “He allowed us to grieve. He allowed us to remember our heroes. Donald Trump knew all of our children’s names, he knew their stories, and he spoke to us in a way that made us feel understood – like he knew our kids.”
Herman Lopez shared a painful memory of Biden’s interaction during the return of the fallen servicemembers' remains, claiming Biden made the occasion more about his own son, lost to cancer, than the soldiers who died under his command. “Worse than that – he has never said their names out loud and during last month’s debate, he claimed no service members have died during his administration, none. That hurt us all deeply,” Lopez emphasized.
Lopez then read aloud the names of the 13 service members who perished in the 2021 Kabul airport bombing:
Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Darin T. Hoover, 31, of Salt Lake City, Utah.
Marine Corps Sgt. Johanny Rosario Pichardo, 25, of Lawrence, Massachusetts.
Marine Corps Sgt. Nicole L. Gee, 23, of Sacramento, California.
Marine Corps Cpl. Hunter Lopez, 22, of Indio, California.
Marine Corps Cpl. Daegan W. Page, 23, of Omaha, Nebraska.
Marine Corps Cpl. Humberto A. Sanchez, 22, of Logansport, Indiana.
Marine Corps Lance Cpl. David L. Espinoza, 20, of Rio Bravo, Texas.
Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Jared M. Schmitz, 20, of St. Charles, Missouri.
Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Rylee J. McCollum, 20, of Jackson, Wyoming.
Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Dylan R. Merola, 20, of Rancho Cucamonga, California.
Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Kareem M. Nikoui, 20, of Norco, California.
Navy Hospitalman Maxton W. Soviak, 22, of Berlin Heights, Ohio.
Army Staff Sgt. Ryan C. Knauss, 23, of Corryton, Tennessee.
These brave servicemembers, along with an estimated 170 Afghans, lost their lives on August 26, 2021, at Hamid Karzai International Airport due to a suicide bomber affiliated with ISIS-K. The bombing occurred amid the chaos following the Taliban’s rapid takeover of Afghanistan, which was precipitated by Biden’s decision to break Trump’s agreement to withdraw U.S. troops by May 1, 2021, extending it to September instead.
Despite warnings of terrorist threats, Biden failed to prevent the attack. The families criticized Biden's attempt to frame the withdrawal as an "extraordinary success."
“Joe Biden said the withdrawal from Afghanistan was an extraordinary success,” Juels recalled. “Look at our faces. Look at our pain and our heartbreak and look at our rage. The humiliation of our nation was not an extraordinary success. Joe Biden may have forgotten that our children died, but we have not forgotten; Donald Trump has not forgotten.”
Alicia Lopez accused the Biden administration of silencing their pleas for accountability. “There has been a deafening silence from the Biden and Harris administration,” she asserted. “Despite our pleas for answers and accountability, they have pushed us away and tried to silence us.”
Lopez also noted the family's ongoing concern for their son currently serving in the military, expressing their distrust in Biden to protect his life.
By acknowledging the heartfelt testimonies of these families, this story underscores the deep impact of the Kabul airport bombing and the contrasting ways Presidents Trump and Biden have handled the aftermath.
Original Story by Frances Martel, Breitbart
.png)