Former President Donald Trump argued Tuesday that President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris were personally responsible for the deaths of 13 US service members killed during the botched 2021 Afghanistan withdrawal — claiming it was “just like they pulled the trigger.”
Trump, 78, spoke to podcaster Lex Fridman about commemorating the three-year anniversary of the Abbey Gate bombing by attending a private ceremony with Gold Star families at Arlington National Cemetery last week.
Parents of the 13 had “lost a child because of Biden and because of Kamala, just as though they had a gun in their head because it was so badly handled,” Trump told Fridman.
“It should have been done at Bagram, which is a big airbase. It shouldn’t have been done in a small little airport right in the middle of town, where people stormed it,” the Republican presidential candidate argued.
Trump has long criticized Biden’s handling of the chaotic withdrawal, which was capped by the Taliban retaking Afghanistan after 20 years out of power.
“It’s very sad, actually, because these people shouldn’t have died. They shouldn’t have died. They died because of Biden and because of Kamala. They died just like if they pulled the trigger,” Trump said in his most scathing rebuke yet.
“I don’t know if that’s controversial to say, but I don’t think it is. Afghanistan was the most incompetently run operation I think I’ve ever seen, military or otherwise.”
Trump attended the Arlington ceremony after being invited by the families, he said.
“It was very hard for me to do it logistically, but I said, ‘I’ll get it done.’ And I got there and we had a beautiful time. I didn’t run away. I didn’t, you know, just walk in and shake hands,” Trump said.
After the 45th president returned to his Florida home, he recounted, he got a call that the Harris campaign was attacking him for using the event as a campaign photo opportunity.
Both the Trump campaign and cemetery officials have confirmed some kind of altercation between an Arlington staff member and a Trump worker over photography rights on the grounds.
The Trump team initially said they would be willing to release footage disproving that a physical altercation took place, but have yet to do so.
“There was no conflict or ‘fighting’ at Arlington National Cemetery last week. It was a made up story by Comrade Kamala and her misinformation squad. She made it all up to make up for the fact that she and Sleepy Joe have BLOOD ON THEIR HANDS for the INCOMPETENT AFGHANISTAN Withdrawal – THE MOST EMBARRASSING DAY IN U.S. HISTORY!!!” Trump posted on Truth Social earlier Tuesday.
“They should have been at Arlington, not on a beach or studying for a Debate. Thank you to my friends, the GREAT GOLD STAR FAMILIES, for revealing the TRUTH OF A BEAUTIFUL DAY OF HONOR. Could not have been a nicer moment-And there were no fights or problems, only in the heads of those that are destroying our Country!”
