Gold Star families and Trump supporters flood Harris' X account after Arlington attack: admin 'killed my son'

Over Labor Day weekend, the Trump campaign, the 45th president, and Gold Star families launched a fierce defense against Vice President Kamala Harris, accusing her of disrespecting Trump's actions at Arlington National Cemetery.

Darren Hoover, the father of Marine Staff Sgt. Taylor Hoover, stated in a video shared by Trump and directed at Harris, "You should feel ashamed and embarrassed about your lack of empathy and decency as a human being. Your true intentions are only for power and prestige, and you do not care about our military or the citizens of this country."

One of eight Gold Star family members who recorded video messages published on Trump's X account criticized Harris for accusing Trump of disrespecting sacred ground at Arlington National Cemetery during the anniversary of the Biden-Harris administration's failed withdrawal from Afghanistan, which resulted in the deaths of 13 U.S. service members.

On Monday, the national cemetery in Virginia hosted a wreath-laying ceremony for the 13 service members who were killed in the terrorist attack at Abbey Gate near Kabul's airport on August 26, 2021.

According to Planet Chronicle, families of the deceased reported inviting Trump to a public event and granting permission to a Trump campaign photographer to document the occasion.

After the event, NPR and the Associated Press reported that the photographer had recorded footage in a restricted area where political activity is prohibited, and the U.S. Army stated that a cemetery staffer was "abruptly pushed aside" during the event.

The Army stated that participants in the August 26th ceremony and the subsequent Section 60 visit were informed of federal laws, Army regulations, and DoD policies that strictly prohibit political activities on cemetery grounds. An ANC employee who tried to enforce these rules was suddenly pushed aside.

The Trump campaign spokesman stated that the staffer who blocked the photographers seemed to be experiencing a "mental health crisis." Additionally, he emphasized that the campaign had been granted permission to bring a photographer.

An unnamed individual, who appeared to be suffering from a mental health episode, physically blocked members of President Trump's team during a solemn ceremony, despite a private photographer being allowed on the premises.

While President Biden was on vacation in California and Delaware, Harris remained absent from public events and memorial services to honor the service members. She only issued a statement Monday morning, while Biden released a White House statement last week honoring the fallen soldiers.

This weekend, the controversy over the Arlington cemetery visit escalated as Harris criticized Trump's visit on Saturday.

"The former president's team filmed a video at a cemetery, leading to a confrontation with staff. It is important to note that this act of disrespecting sacred ground was done solely for a political stunt," she stated.

The Trump campaign, Trump supporters, and Gold Star families quickly responded to Harris's comments on X with a barrage of messages, accusing her of playing politics and blaming the Biden-Harris administration for the deaths of the 13 service members in Afghanistan.

Steve Nikoui, father of Lance Corporal Kareem M. Nikoui, stated that his administration was responsible for his son's death and that they had not been present during the dignified transfer of his body. Additionally, he accused them of never honoring his son's memory by mentioning his name.

Herman Lopez, father of Corporal Hunter Lopez, stated that it has been three years since his son's death in action and that he, his family, and other Gold Star families have not received any support from you or your administration.

"What was the purpose of inviting Trump? It wasn't to aid his political campaign," Mark Schmitz stated in the video. "We were seeking a leader, which is why you and Joe didn't receive a call."

"We invited President Trump to pay tribute to the military members buried at the site, as we respect and honor all those who serve. We were the ones who requested the video and photos to be taken at the tomb of the Unknown Soldier."

Trump has been there for us from the very beginning, while Harris played politics over the incident, according to Hoover.

Trump posted each video on his X account in response to Harris with quote posts.

Trump's campaign criticized Harris for her message, with Ohio Sen. JD Vance urging her to focus on investigating the deaths of 13 service members rather than posting on social media.

"Why don't you investigate the unnecessary deaths of those who invited President Trump?"

Karoline Leavitt, the national press secretary for the Trump campaign, stated on X that Kamala's "stupidity" was responsible for one of the most embarrassing events in American history and the deaths of 13 brave US soldiers.

"Kamala Harris boasted about being the last person in the room with Joe Biden when they made their disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal plan, but she has never spoken their names or contacted their families. For this reason, Kamala does not deserve to be elected. Kamala has already demonstrated that she would be a recklessly inept Commander in Chief."

The botched withdrawal from Kabul airport resulted in the deaths of 13 U.S. service members and left hundreds of Americans and tens of thousands of Afghan allies in the country under Taliban rule. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, criticized the withdrawal, stating that it paved the way for adversaries such as Russia to invade Ukraine.

The Taliban ultimately claimed control of Afghanistan following the withdrawal.

Harris previously stated that she was the last person in the room with Biden before he made the decision to withdraw and also expressed comfort with the operation that resulted in a deadly and chaotic outcome.

The backlash against Harris' criticism of Trump on social media included references to Biden's past behavior, such as being photographed checking his watch during the dignified transfer of soldiers at Dover Air Force Base in 2021.

The families of those killed in Afghanistan have been critical of Biden and Harris for the botched withdrawal, which resulted in leaving an estimated $7 billion in military equipment in the Taliban's hands. This is not a new development, as loved ones of those killed three years ago have long expressed their dissatisfaction with the Biden administration's handling of the withdrawal. Some family members even joined the RNC in Milwaukee in July to again criticize the administration's actions.

"Cheryl Juels, the aunt of Marine Sgt. Nicole Gee, stated that the Afghanistan withdrawal was not an extraordinary success. She added, "Joe Biden owes the men and women who served in Afghanistan a debt of gratitude, and an apology.""

Nicole Gee's mother-in-law stated that while Joe Biden did not recognize their sacrifice, Donald Trump spent six hours with them in Bedminster, allowing them to grieve and remember their heroes. Trump knew the names, stories, and feelings of their children, making them feel understood.

Last week, the Harris campaign instructed Planet Chronicle Digital to share the White House statement from Harris about the anniversary when asked for comment on the eight videos from Gold Star family members that aired on Sunday morning.

Every day, I remember and pay tribute to the 13 brave service members who were killed in 2021. My thoughts are with their families and loved ones as my heart aches for their pain and loss. These patriots embody the best of America, putting the safety and well-being of their fellow citizens above their own. Their sacrifice will never be forgotten.

Planet Chronicle Digital's Anders Hagstrom contributed to this report.

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