Multiple Gold Star families have released devastating rebukes of Kamala Harris after the vice president released a statement politicizing Donald Trump’s recent visit to Arlington Cemetery.
As RedState reported, Trump was personally invited to attend a wreath-laying ceremony in honor of the 13 American service members who were murdered as a result of the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan. During the visit, the former president was asked to take pictures with some of the family members. Democrats then used that as a means to attack Trump, with some claiming he broke federal law simply by being present.
In one astonishing example, The New York Times released a piece chastizing not just Trump, but all those who appeared in a picture taken in Section 60 of the cemetery. That included several Gold Star family members. Reporter Maggie Haberman saw a name on one of the gravestones in the photograph and called up the grieving mother to mine an anti-Trump quote that also ended up going after the Gold Star families themselves. It was truly a grotesque moment for the press.
Harris joined the fray on Saturday morning, releasing the following statement.
As Vice President, I have had the privilege of visiting Arlington National Cemetery several times. It 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.
And…
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) August 31, 2024
As Vice President, I have had the privilege of visiting Arlington National Cemetery several times. It 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.
And yet, as was reported this week, 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.
This is nothing new from Donald Trump. This is a man who has called our fallen service members “suckers” and “losers” and disparaged Medal of Honor recipients.
A man who, during a previous visit to the cemetery, reportedly said of fallen service members, “I don’t get it. What was in it for them?”
This is a man who 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.
And it is my belief that someone who cannot meet this simple, sacred duty should never again stand behind the seal of the President of the United States of America.
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.
The statement was disgusting on its face. While claiming to “never politicize” the deaths of American soldiers, she quite literally politicized them by using their families to attack Donald Trump for the grave sin of actually showing up to honor the fallen. That was something Harris herself couldn’t be bothered to do, and to this day, she has never spoken to any of the Gold Star families involved.
It takes a special level of sociopathy for Harris to wag her finger at Trump over faux complaints about decorum when she is responsible for the deaths that brought the former president and the Gold Star families there in the first place. Did she think such a brazen move wouldn’t elicit a response?
Well, it did. As of this writing, eight different families have released video responses criticizing Kamala Harris for both her behavior and her failures while in office.
1. Gold Star Families of botched Afghanistan withdrawal slam VP Kamala Harris.
“Why won’t you return a call and explain to us how you call my daughter-in-law’s death a success?” — Christy Shamblin, mother-in-law of Sgt. Nicole Agee. pic.twitter.com/nr1hod7ixO
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) August 31, 2024
Gold Star Families of American heroes killed in botched Afghanistan withdrawal slam VP Kamala Harris:
“They called the withdrawal in Afghanistan a success. They are the responsible persons for murdering our kids.” — Coral Doolittle, mother of Corporal Humberto A. Sanchez pic.twitter.com/c279FOSKQ2
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) August 31, 2024
Gold Star Families of American heroes killed in botched Afghanistan withdrawal slam VP Kamala Harris:
“You don’t care for our military or the citizens of this country. You should hang your head in shame.” – Darin Hoover, father of staff Sgt. Taylor Hoover pic.twitter.com/yzK3289tB4
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) August 31, 2024
Gold Star Families of American heroes killed in botched Afghanistan withdrawal slam VP Kamala Harris:
“You have zero business running this country and I pray to God, Americans wake the hell up and get your a** out of office!” — Mark Schmitz, father of Lance Cpl Jared M. Schmitz pic.twitter.com/pTlHUw5WSR
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) August 31, 2024
Gold Star Families of American heroes killed in botched Afghanistan withdrawal slam VP Kamala Harris:
“You have disparaged all 13 who have lost their lives. You are the worst that America has to offer.” — Steve Nikoui, father of Lance Corporal Kareem Nikoui pic.twitter.com/iALy5cRAGd
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) August 31, 2024
2. Gold Star Families of American heroes killed in botched Afghanistan withdrawal slam VP Kamala Harris.
“We have not seen any support from you or your administration…Your words are hollow and empty.” — Herman Lopez, father of Corporal Hunter Lopez. pic.twitter.com/Vct0jWZGYC
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) August 31, 2024
Gold Star Families of American heroes killed in botched Afghanistan withdrawal slam VP Kamala Harris:
“No one should be running for president if they cannot honor military members…That means you should STEP DOWN Kamala.” — Jaclyn Schmitz, mother of Lance Corporal Jared Schmitz pic.twitter.com/Zb3nmGYgBI
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) August 31, 2024
Gold Star Families of American heroes killed in botched Afghanistan withdrawal slam VP Kamala Harris:
“You have failed for 3 years and 8 months to acknowledge our kids. You have failed in your duties as vice president.” — Jim McCollum, father of Lance Corporal Rylee McCollum pic.twitter.com/GXZJYM0iMp
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) August 31, 2024
The mother-in-law of Nicole Gee, who is seen in the first video above, makes an especially prudent point. Harris can mouth off on social media for political points, but she can’t be bothered to return the call of any of these Gold Star families. That’s a devastating rebuke of the vice president and her lack of care.
Some adviser screwed up royally here. Whoever came up with the idea to pick this fight by putting out that statement on Saturday morning has now unleashed a massive backlash, not from random Republicans, but from the Gold Star families themselves. This is a total disaster for the Harris campaign and a well-deserved one.
