Several Gold Star families have issued scathing criticism 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 a wreath-laying ceremony honoring the 13 American soldiers killed as a result of the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan. During the visit, the former president was asked to take photos with some family members. Democrats then used this as a means to attack Trump, with some claiming he had violated federal law simply by being there.
In one astonishing example, the New York Times published an article rebuking not just Trump, but all of the people who appeared in a photo taken in Section 60 of the cemetery. This included several members of the Gold Star family. Reporter Maggie Haberman saw a name on one of the headstones in the photo and called the grieving mother, snagging an anti-Trump quote that also ended up denouncing the Gold Star families themselves. It was truly a grotesque moment for the press.
Harris intervened in the controversy on Saturday morning and made the following statement.
As Vice President, I have had the privilege of visiting Arlington National Cemetery several times. It is a somber place; a place where we come together to honor American heroes who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to this nation.
It is not a place for politics.
And…
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) 31 August 2024
As Vice President, I have had the privilege of visiting Arlington National Cemetery several times. It is a somber place; a place where we come together to honor American heroes who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to this nation.
It is not a place for politics.
And yet, as reported this week, Donald Trump’s team decided to film a video there, leading to an altercation with cemetery staff. Let me be clear: The former president disrespected sacred ground, and it was all for a political stunt.
This is nothing recent from Donald Trump. He is a man who has called our fallen soldiers “suckers” and “losers” and denigrated Medal of Honor recipients.
A man who, during a previous visit to the cemetery, said of fallen soldiers: “I don’t understand. What did they get out of it?”
This is a man who can understand nothing other than service to himself.
If there is one thing we can agree on as Americans, it is that our veterans, military families, and service members should be honored, never belittled, and that we should show them nothing less than our utmost respect and gratitude.
And I believe that anyone who cannot fulfill this uncomplicated, 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 fallen American heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice for our beloved nation and our cherished freedoms. I mourn them and pay them my respects. And I will never politicize them.
The statement was at first glance repulsive. While she claimed to “never politicize” the deaths of American soldiers, she politicized them in the truest sense of the word, using their families to attack Donald Trump for the grave sin of actually showing up to honor the fallen. Harris could not bring herself to do that, 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 for complaining about false decency complaints while 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 bold move would not provoke a reaction?
Well, it has. As of this writing, eight different families have released video responses criticizing Kamala Harris for both her conduct and her failures during her time in office.
1. Gold Star families of the botched Afghanistan withdrawal criticize Vice President Kamala Harris.
“Why don’t you call us back and explain why you call the death of my daughter-in-law a success?” – Christy Shamblin, mother-in-law of Sergeant Nicole Agee. pic.twitter.com/nr1hod7ixO
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) 31 August 2024
Gold Star: Families of American heroes killed in botched Afghanistan withdrawal criticize Vice President Kamala Harris:
“They called the withdrawal from Afghanistan a success. They are the ones responsible for the murder of our children.” — Coral Doolittle, mother of Corporal Humberto A. Sanchez pic.twitter.com/c279FOSKQ2
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) 31 August 2024
Gold Star: Families of American heroes killed in botched Afghanistan withdrawal criticize Vice President Kamala Harris:
“They don’t care about our military or the citizens of this country. They should be ashamed of themselves.” – Darin Hoover, father of Staff Sgt. Taylor Hoover pic.twitter.com/yzK3289tB4
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) 31 August 2024
Gold Star: Families of American heroes killed in botched Afghanistan withdrawal criticize Vice President Kamala Harris:
“You have no business running this country and I pray to God, Americans, wake up and get your ass out of office!” – Mark Schmitz, father of Lance Cpl Jared M. Schmitz pic.twitter.com/pTlHUw5WSR
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) 31 August 2024
Gold Star: Families of American heroes killed in botched Afghanistan withdrawal criticize Vice President Kamala Harris:
“You have belittled all 13 who lost their lives. You are the worst America has to offer.” — Steve Nikoui, father of Lance Corporal Kareem Nikoui pic.twitter.com/iALy5cRAGd
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) 31 August 2024
2. Gold Star: Families of American heroes killed in the botched Afghanistan withdrawal criticize Vice President Kamala Harris.
“We have received no support from you or your government… Your words are hollow and empty.” – Herman Lopez, father of Corporal Hunter Lopez. pic.twitter.com/Vct0jWZGYC
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) 31 August 2024
Gold Star: Families of American heroes killed in botched Afghanistan withdrawal criticize Vice President Kamala Harris:
“No one should run for president if they can’t honor the military… That means you should RESIGN, Kamala.” — Jaclyn Schmitz, mother of Lance Corporal Jared Schmitz pic.twitter.com/Zb3nmGYgBI
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) 31 August 2024
Gold Star: Families of American heroes killed in botched Afghanistan withdrawal criticize Vice President Kamala Harris:
“You have failed to take care of our children for three years and eight months. 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) 31 August 2024
Nicole Gee’s mother-in-law, seen in the first video above, makes a particularly astute point. Harris can voice her opinions on social media to score political points, but she can’t be bothered to return the call of one of those Gold Star families. It’s a scathing rebuke of the vice president and her lack of care.
Some consultant screwed up huge time here. Whoever came up with the idea of starting this fight with that statement on Saturday morning has now sparked a massive backlash, not from any Republicans, but from the Gold Star families themselves. This is a total disaster for the Harris campaign, and a well-deserved one.
