Gloomy Trump honors 13 US service members killed in Afghanistan at Arlington National Cemetery… as Biden begins second week of vacation

Donald Trump visited Arlington National Cemetery on Monday to pay tribute to the 13 Americans who were killed three years ago in a bombing outside Kabul airport during the evacuation from Afghanistan.

The former president laid a series of wreaths at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier before making a private visit to Section 60, the part of the cemetery where soldiers killed in Afghanistan are buried.

He was accompanied by relatives of several American soldiers killed in a bombing at Abbey Gate. He was also accompanied by two Marines who were injured in the attack: Cpl. Kelsee Lainhart, who was paralyzed in the attack and is now in a wheelchair, and Sgt. Tyler Vargas-Andrews, who lost his right arm and left leg.

The visit also allowed him to link his rival Kamala Harris to what he calls “the most embarrassing moment in our history.” Trump has repeatedly criticized President Joe Biden’s handling of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. Biden was in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, on Monday, at the start of the second week of his summer vacation.

The visit also provided Trump with an opportunity to debunk reports that he has no respect for veterans and that he has previously called fallen World War II soldiers losers and losers, reports Trump has denied.

The former president laid three wreaths at the grave, two in honor of Staff Sgt. Taylor Hoover and Sgt. Nicole Gee — two Marines killed in the bombing — and another wreath in honor of all 13 service members killed in the attack.

He also brought flowers to the grave of SSG Ryan Knauss, a Marine killed in the attack, and spoke with Knauss’ parents, who were unable to attend, according to his campaign.

Tulsi Gabbard, a former Democratic congresswoman who is now helping Trump prepare for his debate, was spotted with Trump at the event.

Monday marks the third anniversary of the August 26, 2021 suicide bombing at Hamid Karzai International Airport, which killed 13 U.S. service members and more than 100 Afghans. The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack.

“This is the 3rd anniversary of the FUCKING withdrawal from Afghanistan, the MOST AWKWARD moment in our country’s history,” Trump posted on Truth Social.

‘Gross incompetence – 13 DEAD American soldiers, hundreds wounded and dead, AMERICANS and BILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF MILITARY EQUIPMENT LEFT BEHIND.’

Several relatives of the victims appeared on stage at the Republican National Convention last month and said Biden had never publicly named their loved ones.

After Biden ended his reelection bid, Trump has sought to link Harris to some of the administration’s most criticized moments, noting that Harris said she was the last person in the room before Biden made the decision on Afghanistan.

The Biden administration conducted a two-year internal investigation into the evacuation and concluded that U.S. authorities should have begun the evacuation earlier, but placed much of the blame on Trump, Biden’s predecessor in the White House.

Biden’s team pointed to a deal Trump made with the Taliban to withdraw troops from Afghanistan.

The White House slammed Trump’s visit to the cemetery, pretending it was only for the television cameras.

“There are many ways that we as a nation and our leaders can commemorate the third anniversary of Abby Gate, and Mr. Trump was invited by at least one, I think maybe several families, to lay a wreath at Arlington and that is certainly one way to recognize the sacrifice and the loss. But it was a personal invitation from fans,” said John Kirby, White House spokesman for the National Security Council.

‘Another way is to continue to work, perhaps not with a lot of fanfare, perhaps not with a lot of public attention, perhaps not with TV cameras, but to ‘work every day to ensure that the families of those who fell and those who were wounded, not just at Abbey Gate but throughout the 20-plus years that we were in Afghanistan, had the support that they needed,’ he added.

President Biden lays flowers at the grave of SSG Ryan Knauss

Bob Quackenbush, top left, deputy chief of staff at Arlington National Cemetery, and Donald Trump watch the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery

The White House released separate statements from Harris and Biden on Monday about the attack.

Harris said she mourns the 13 American service members who died.

“My prayers are with their families and loved ones. My heart breaks for their pain and their loss,” she said.

She said she honors and remembers all Americans who served in Afghanistan.

“As I said, President Biden made the courageous and right decision to end America’s longest war. Over the past three years, our administration has shown that we can still eliminate terrorists, including the leaders of al Qaeda and ISIS, without deploying troops to combat zones,” she said.

“I will never hesitate to take whatever action is necessary to counter terrorist threats and protect the American people.”

Biden also paid tribute to the fallen.

“Three years ago, an ISIS suicide bomber launched a deliberate act of evil at Abbey Gate outside Kabul airport, killing 13 American service members and over 100 innocent Afghans. Today, and every day, we honor our fallen,” he said.

“These 13 Americans — and the many others who were injured — were patriots in the highest sense of the word,” Biden said in the statement.