The Democratic nominee for president is being eviscerated for dishonoring and disrespecting American military veterans and fallen servicemen. Last week marked three years since a suicide bombing at Hamid Karzai International Airport’s Abbey Gate in Afghanistan killed 13 U.S. servicemembers, which happened during the Biden-Harris administration’s ill-fated military withdrawal from the region. On August 26, former President Donald Trump attended a ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery commemorating and honoring the slain soldiers. Although neither incumbent President Joe Biden nor his vice president, Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris, attended the ceremony, Harris criticized Trump’s presence at the event, calling it a “political stunt.”

In a lengthy social media post, Harris said that Arlington National Cemetery is “a solemn place; a place where we come together to honor American heroes who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service of this nation. It is not a place for politics.” The vice president continued, “Donald Trump’s team chose to film a video there, resulting in an altercation with cemetery staff. Let me be clear: the former president disrespected sacred ground, all for the sake of a political stunt.” She also claimed that the 45th president is “unable to comprehend anything other than service to himself.”

“If there is one thing on which we as Americans can all agree, it is that our veterans, military families, and service members should be honored, never disparaged, and treated with nothing less than our highest respect and gratitude,” Harris continued. “I will always honor the service and sacrifice of all of America’s fallen heroes, who made the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of our beloved nation and our cherished freedoms. I mourn them and salute them. And I will never politicize them,” she concluded, although she herself was notably absent from the ceremony honoring the servicemembers who died on her watch.

In his own August 26 video statement, Trump said, “Three years ago, Kamala’s and Biden’s incompetence left 13 dead warriors, hundreds of civilians killed and grievously wounded, and $85 billion worth of the finest military equipment on the planet abandoned to the Taliban, right into the hands of the Taliban.” He continued, “And as Vice President Kamala bragged that she was ‘the last person in the room,’ she was the tough one, she was the last person in the room during that disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan decision. She repeatedly praised the decisions, and she said that it led to a catastrophe — but it was worth it.” Trump added, “The incompetence and weakness on display from the Biden-Harris administration was an insult to every soldier, sailor, airman, and Marine who ever served in our U.S. military.”

In response to Harris’s smear against Trump, eight family members of the slain servicemembers issued video statements condemning the Biden-Harris administration and Harris’s accusations. Christy Shamblin, mother-in-law of Sergeant Nicole Gee, said that the families “welcomed” Trump, noting that he and his team were both respectful and comforting to the families of the slain soldiers. “Vice President Harris, I ask you, why won’t you return a call and explain to us how you call my daughter-in-law’s death a ‘success?’” Shamblin asked. She continued, “Why will you not express your condolences yourself? Why have we never heard from you? And finally, why would you take a day when we celebrated the death of our loved one and use it to disparage not only them but us?” Shamblin concluded, “President Trump has called, President Trump shows up, and President Trump takes the time to hear our loved ones’ stories. Why won’t you do the same?”

Herman Lopez, father of Corporal Hunter Lopez, sat in front of his son’s Marine Corps uniform and addressed Harris directly. “You indicated in your post that you support the military and military families. I, for one, have not seen that support,” Lopez began. “It’s been three years since my son was killed in action, and myself, my family, and other Gold Star families have not seen any support from you or your administration.”

“You may make hollow promises about the economy … but one thing that I ask of you, and the reason I’m making this message, is for you to stop making comments about your support for the military,” Lopez continued. “As a Gold Star father, I know that you have not supported us, I know that you have not supported other Gold Star families. Please stop making these types of comments, because your support has not been demonstrated. Your words are hollow and empty.” Lopez added that Harris “has not earned our respect.”

“Your recent remarks related to Trump’s visit to Arlington are filled with nothing but lies and deceit,” said Jim McCollum, father of Lance Corporal Rylee McCollum. “How do you sleep at night knowing it was you — this administration, you and Biden, you being the last one in the room — [who] are responsible for the death of our 13 kids? You have failed for three years … to acknowledge our kids, to acknowledge me.”

“You have been nothing but disrespectful to us, to me and the families of the 13, yet you’re claiming that you will always be respectful and show respect for our fallen; you’ve been absent for three years,” McCollum continued. “You’ve proven that you’re not capable to do the job that you have, let alone the job that you seek. You know nothing about honor, courage, commitment, respect, but President Trump does. President Trump has been there for us, he’s been a rock for us, he showed compassion for us, and he showed he truly does care for the families that truly do know what the ultimate sacrifice really is.”

Mark Schmitz, father of Lance Corporal Jared M. Schmitz, fumed, “Here we are in a beautiful holiday weekend day, [and] I’ve got to stop what I’m doing, spending time with what’s left of my family, to address a heinous, vile, and disgusting post put out by Kamala Harris trying to incite those that don’t follow the truth that President Trump was in Arlington as a political stunt.” He added, “Shows you how much you know about the 13 families: we invited him to be there.”

“Why did we want Trump there? It wasn’t to help his political campaign. We wanted a leader — that explains why you and Joe didn’t get a call,” Schmitz said. He continued, “Imagine for a second that your kid is killed and there’s a president in the United States willing to take you under his wing and listen to you. That’s what we found in President Trump, certainly not you, and certainly not Joe Biden.” Growing visibly angry, he went on, “You have 13 families who have been waiting more than three years to so much as get a phone call, to so much as hear our kids’ names said aloud in the halls of Congress, in the State of the Union — hell, anything.” He ended, “You’re despicable. You have zero business running this country.”

“Kamala, your statement is nothing more than a political spin to help you look better in your presidential campaign against Donald Trump,” added Jaclyn Schmitz, Jared’s mother. “What happened at Arlington was President Trump was invited by those families who have their soldiers buried at Arlington. [Trump] was invited there as a friend, as somebody who has taken the time, numerous times on numerous occasions, to hear our stories, to speak our kids’ names, and to help us get some accountability from your administration,” she continued. “Because in over three years we have got nothing but more and more lies, just like your statement — more and more lies and cover-ups to make you and your administration look good.” Jaclyn added, “Our kids were murdered because of your administration, and you are partly to blame for that as well,” further calling on Harris to “step down” because “no one should be running for president if they cannot honor military members, their families, as well as veterans.”

Seated in his dining room, with a cross on the wall behind him, Steve Nikoui, father of Lance Corporal Kareem M. Nikoui, told Harris, “Your administration killed my son deliberately, in exchange for political theatrics, so you could have a final day of the evacuation coincide with September 11.” Nikoui continued, “You were not at Dover for the dignified transfer. At no time have you reached out to me, to offer your condolences, to offer a ‘thank you’ for Kareem’s sacrifice and service. Not once have you honored him by saying his name, so I said it for you. You have disparaged all 13 who lost their lives, as well as their families, exhibiting your lack of gratitude by your silence.” The father concluded, “You are a DEI vice president and, contrary to our kids, the worst that America has to offer. I will pray for you, that God has mercy on your soul.”

Coral Doolittle, mother of Corporal Humberto A. Sanchez, said that although her son is not buried at Arlington, she felt that “when President Trump went and paid tribute and paid his respect in Arlington for our kids, it was not just the ones buried in there, it was for all of our kids.” She added that “it was an invitation that the families actually extended to him, and it’s not the first time that he actually met with us and shared time with our families.” Doolittle continued, “For three years, until now, Kamala Harris and President Biden didn’t even say their 13 names, they called the withdrawal in Afghanistan a success. For us, it was just sadness and a disgrace. They are the responsible persons for murdering our kids.” She added that Biden and Harris have refused to meet with the families “to this day.”

“Kamala, I want you to understand — and I know it will be difficult for you because you lack empathy and basic understanding — the events that happened on August 26, 2024, with President Trump at Arlington National Cemetery were solemn, in keeping with the reverence and respect that is given to all members of our military that are buried there,” insisted Darin Hoover, father of Staff Sergeant Taylor Hoover. “We are the ones that invited President Trump, we are the ones that asked for the video and the pictures to be taken at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.”

“Let me be clear: there [were] no politics discussed, none whatsoever,” Hoover said. “I don’t know where this is coming from, but it’s disgusting and gross. President Trump has been there for us from the very beginning, when our son and the other 12 of his brothers and sisters in arms were murdered due to your negligence and uncaring attitude towards our military,” he continued. “Don’t forget, Kamala, you were the last one in the room. You and Joe Biden made the final decision on how to pull out of Afghanistan. You created the chaos and mayhem for the military to accomplish their goals.”

“Our sons and daughters made the best of a difficult situation, as they had been trained to do. They adapted and overcame all of that and came out as heroes, something that you will never know or understand,” Hoover went on. “Kamala, we have been treated with the utmost respect, compassion, and understanding by President Trump, something you and Joe Biden have refused to do since August 26, 2021.” He asked, “Where were you and Joe Biden on August 26, 2024? Nowhere near Arlington cemetery. You couldn’t be bothered to be with us or even say our kids’ names, just as you have done for the last three years.”

Trump shared the video messages from all the Gold Star family members over social media. He also shared a letter from the families, who said that they were “appalled by Vice President Kamala Harris’ recent attempts to politicize President Trump’s visit to Arlington National Cemetery. … He was there to honor their sacrifice, yet Vice President Harris has disgracefully twisted this sacred moment into a political ploy.” The letter was signed by 11 family members of seven of the fallen servicemembers. All signatories declared Harris “unfit to serve as Commander-in-Chief.”