Vice President Kamala Harris broke her silence on the deaths of 13 U.S. service members in Kabul on the third anniversary of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. She released a statement as her opponent in the 2024 presidential race, former President Donald Trump, honored the 13 in a ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery.
“Three years ago today, outside of Kabul Airport, an ISIS terrorist killed 13 American service members and more than 100 innocent Afghans, and wounded many more,” Harris said in a statement posted to the White House website. She listed the fallen.
Thirteen American heroes were taken from us on that day: Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Darin T. Hoover; Marine Corps Sgt. Johanny Rosario Pichardo; Marine Corps Sgt. Nicole L. Gee; Marine Corps Cpl. Hunter Lopez; Marine Corps Cpl. Daegan W. Page; Marine Corps Cpl. Humberto A. Sanchez; Marine Corps Lance Cpl. David L. Espinoza; Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Jared M. Schmitz; Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Rylee J. McCollum; Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Dylan R. Merola; Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Kareem M. Nikoui; Navy Petty Officer Third Class Maxton W. Soviak; Army Staff Sgt. Ryan C. Knauss.
“Today and everyday, I mourn and honor them. My prayers are with their families and loved ones,” she added.
Harris defended President Joe Biden, saying he “made the courageous and right decision to end America’s longest war.” She pledged, “I will never hesitate to take whatever action necessary to counter terrorist threats and protect the American people and the homeland.”
Meanwhile, Trump visited Arlington National Cemetery and laid a wreath to commemorate the 13 who fell in Afghanistan.
“This is the third anniversary of the BOTCHED Afghanistan withdrawal, the most EMBARRASSING moment in the history of our Country,” he posted on Truth Social. “Gross Incompetence—13 DEAD American soldiers, hundreds of people wounded and dead, AMERICANS and BILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF MILITARY EQUIPMENT LEFT BEHIND.”
“You don’t take our soldiers out first, you take them out LAST, when all else is successfully done,” Trump added. “Russia then invaded Ukraine, Israel was attacked, and the USA became, and is, a laughingstock all over the World.”
When the administration abandoned Afghanistan, it left U.S. military equipment at Bagram Air Force Base, allowing the Taliban to seize it when the terrorist group took over the country.
The Afghanistan withdrawal marked the beginning of a slide in Biden’s job-approval ratings.