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Gold Star Parents Unleash Barrage on Biden and Kamala on Anniversary of Afghanistan Deaths

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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.”

“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.

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.

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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.”

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“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.”

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 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.”

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Randy DeSoto has written more than 3,000 articles for The Western Journal since he began with the company in 2015. He is a graduate of West Point and Regent University School of Law. He is the author of the book "We Hold These Truths" and screenwriter of the political documentary "I Want Your Money."
Randy DeSoto wrote and was the assistant producer of the documentary film "I Want Your Money" about the perils of Big Government, comparing the presidencies of Ronald Reagan and Barack Obama. Randy is the author of the book "We Hold These Truths," which addresses how leaders have appealed to beliefs found in the Declaration of Independence at defining moments in our nation's history. He has been published in several political sites and newspapers.

Randy graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point with a BS in political science and Regent University School of Law with a juris doctorate.
Birthplace
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Nationality
American
Honors/Awards
Graduated dean's list from West Point
Education
United States Military Academy at West Point, Regent University School of Law
Books Written
We Hold These Truths
Professional Memberships
Virginia and Pennsylvania state bars
Location
Phoenix, Arizona
Languages Spoken
English
Topics of Expertise
Politics, Entertainment, Faith




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