Gold Star Families Speak

[Always in His Presence]

Several Gold Star families defend Trump's Arlington Cemetery visit, criticize Harris for her response

The former president responded to Harris with a series of short videos from the families, including those that did and did not formally invite him to attend the memorial at Arlington National Cemetery.

www.cbsnews.com

In a video, Gold Star father Mark Schmitz, father of Lance Corporal Jared Schmitz, said they didn't invite Trump to the cemetery to "help his campaign."​

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"We wanted a leader," Schmitz said.​

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"How do you sleep at night knowing it was you, this administration, you and Biden, you, being the last one in the room, are responsible for the death of our 13 kids," Jim McCollum, Gold Star father of Lance Corporal Rylee McCollum, said in another video. "You have failed for three years and eight months to acknowledge our kids, to acknowledge me. You don't know me, you've never spoken to me, You've never reached out to me, you have failed in your duty as vice president."​

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Darin Hoover, the father of Staff Sgt. Taylor Hoover, defended Trump's visit in another video, saying that their actions at Arlington National Cemetery on Monday were "solemn and in keeping with the reverence and respect given to all of our members of the military buried there."​

Families of fallen soldiers defend Trump amid blowback to Arlington Cemetery visit

Family members of American soldiers who lost their lives during the pullout of United States troops from Afghanistan are defending former President Donald Trump after he has come under fire for an

www.christianpost.com

After the NPR story broke, five family members of two of the 13 servicemembers killed three years ago released a statement on Truth Social expressing gratitude to Trump for his attendance at the Section 60 gathering.​

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“The president and his team conducted themselves with nothing but the utmost respect and dignity for all of our service members, especially our beloved children,” they stated.​

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“We had given our approval for President Trump’s official videographer and photographer to attend the event, ensuring these sacred moments of remembrance were respectfully captured and so we can cherish these memories forever.”​

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The family members concluded by saying that Trump’s “compassion and respect meant more than words can express.”​

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A video published on Trump’s Truth Social account on Monday featured family members of the fallen soldiers claiming that Biden was disrespectful when meeting with them shortly after the tragedy.​

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“This guy’s sitting across from me, on that Tarmac, and he keeps looking at his watch,” the father of Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Kareem M. Nikoui recounted.​

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“Biden did not want to be there, I don’t know what he wanted to do but he did not want to be there,” said another family member. “He looked at his watch multiple times. I saw it three times.”​

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The mother of Hoover proclaimed that Biden “let my son down, he let the 13 down, he let the 45 wounded down, he let those 174 civilians down.” ​

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[Always in His Presence]

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Hear their own words

 

[Pommer]

Several Gold Star families defend Trump's Arlington Cemetery visit, criticize Harris for her response

The former president responded to Harris with a series of short videos from the families, including those that did and did not formally invite him to attend the memorial at Arlington National Cemetery.

www.cbsnews.com

In a video, Gold Star father Mark Schmitz, father of Lance Corporal Jared Schmitz, said they didn't invite Trump to the cemetery to "help his campaign."​

​

"We wanted a leader," Schmitz said.​

​

"How do you sleep at night knowing it was you, this administration, you and Biden, you, being the last one in the room, are responsible for the death of our 13 kids," Jim McCollum, Gold Star father of Lance Corporal Rylee McCollum, said in another video. "You have failed for three years and eight months to acknowledge our kids, to acknowledge me. You don't know me, you've never spoken to me, You've never reached out to me, you have failed in your duty as vice president."​

​

​

Darin Hoover, the father of Staff Sgt. Taylor Hoover, defended Trump's visit in another video, saying that their actions at Arlington National Cemetery on Monday were "solemn and in keeping with the reverence and respect given to all of our members of the military buried there."​

Families of fallen soldiers defend Trump amid blowback to Arlington Cemetery visit

Family members of American soldiers who lost their lives during the pullout of United States troops from Afghanistan are defending former President Donald Trump after he has come under fire for an

www.christianpost.com

After the NPR story broke, five family members of two of the 13 servicemembers killed three years ago released a statement on Truth Social expressing gratitude to Trump for his attendance at the Section 60 gathering.​

​

“The president and his team conducted themselves with nothing but the utmost respect and dignity for all of our service members, especially our beloved children,” they stated.​

​

“We had given our approval for President Trump’s official videographer and photographer to attend the event, ensuring these sacred moments of remembrance were respectfully captured and so we can cherish these memories forever.”​

​

The family members concluded by saying that Trump’s “compassion and respect meant more than words can express.”​

​

A video published on Trump’s Truth Social account on Monday featured family members of the fallen soldiers claiming that Biden was disrespectful when meeting with them shortly after the tragedy.​

​

“This guy’s sitting across from me, on that Tarmac, and he keeps looking at his watch,” the father of Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Kareem M. Nikoui recounted.​

​

“Biden did not want to be there, I don’t know what he wanted to do but he did not want to be there,” said another family member. “He looked at his watch multiple times. I saw it three times.”​

​

The mother of Hoover proclaimed that Biden “let my son down, he let the 13 down, he let the 45 wounded down, he let those 174 civilians down.” ​

​

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Good, maybe this’ll be the grassroots groundswell that will be needed to change the Law so that Presidential Candidates can traipse through National Cemeteries for photo-ops!?

 

[Yeshua HaDerekh]

Good, maybe this’ll be the grassroots groundswell that will be needed to change the Law so that Presidential Candidates can traipse through National Cemeteries for photo-ops!?

Truth hurts? It is disgusting that the left calls it a photo-op. Trump was invited...guess who wasn't...wonder why...

 

[iluvatar5150]

Truth hurts? It is disgusting that the left calls it a photo-op. Trump was invited...guess who wasn't...wonder why...

Sycophancy.

 

[Goonie]

Truth hurts? It is disgusting that the left calls it a photo-op. Trump was invited...guess who wasn't...wonder why...

It was a photo-op blatantly, it would be baring false witness to say otherwise.

 

[Always in His Presence]

It was a photo-op blatantly, it would be baring false witness to say otherwise.

Not according to the people who invited him.

 

[Always in His Presence]

It was a photo-op blatantly, it would be baring false witness to say otherwise.

Calling the families of the soldiers who died under the Biden/Harris watch liars is not bearing false witness?

 

[Hans Blaster]

In a video, Gold Star father Mark Schmitz, father of Lance Corporal Jared Schmitz, said they didn't invite Trump to the cemetery to "help his campaign.""We wanted a leader," Schmitz said.

Just because their purpose wasn't a Trump photo op/campaign ad, doesn't mean he wouldn't or didn't use it as such.

 

[Always in His Presence]

Just because their purpose wasn't a Trump photo op/campaign ad, doesn't mean he wouldn't or didn't use it as such.

Name one time he goes to a public event and there is not photographers -

Good grief, did no one listen to the families?

 

[Always in His Presence]

From the link:

In a video, Gold Star father Mark Schmitz, father of Lance Corporal Jared Schmitz, said they didn't invite Trump to the cemetery to "help his campaign." ​

​

"We wanted a leader," Schmitz said. ​

​

"How do you sleep at night knowing it was you, this administration, you and Biden, you, being the last one in the room, are responsible for the death of our 13 kids," Jim McCollum, Gold Star father of Lance Corporal Rylee McCollum, said in another video. "You have failed for three years and eight months to acknowledge our kids, to acknowledge me. You don't know me, you've never spoken to me, You've never reached out to me, you have failed in your duty as vice president."​

​

Anyone catch that? Harris has never contacted them, acknowledged them or reached out to them.

While they were honoring those killed - Joe was on the beach once again and Kamala was less than 12 miles away in her mansion. Neither even thought of it, until AFTER it hit the media that Trump was invited.

 

[iluvatar5150]

From the link:

In a video, Gold Star father Mark Schmitz, father of Lance Corporal Jared Schmitz, said they didn't invite Trump to the cemetery to "help his campaign." ​

​

"We wanted a leader," Schmitz said. ​

​

"How do you sleep at night knowing it was you, this administration, you and Biden, you, being the last one in the room, are responsible for the death of our 13 kids," Jim McCollum, Gold Star father of Lance Corporal Rylee McCollum, said in another video. "You have failed for three years and eight months to acknowledge our kids, to acknowledge me. You don't know me, you've never spoken to me, You've never reached out to me, you have failed in your duty as vice president."​

​

Anyone catch that? Harris has never contacted them, acknowledged them or reached out to them.

While they were honoring those killed - Joe was on the beach once again and Kamala was less than 12 miles away in her mansion. Neither even thought of it, until AFTER it hit the media that Trump was invited.

Trump had 65 service personnel killed by hostile actions during his time as president.

Defense Casualty Analysis System

dcas.dmdc.osd.mil

How many of those did he pay tribute to on the anniversaries of their death? Would Trump have shown up at Arlington this year without being invited?

 

[Always in His Presence]

Trump had 65 service personnel killed by hostile actions during his time as president.

Defense Casualty Analysis System

dcas.dmdc.osd.mil

How many of those did he pay tribute to on the anniversaries of their death? Would Trump have shown up at Arlington this year without being invited?

But Trump - but Trump - it is no longer a practical defensive move.

It doesn't negate how the families who lost their child felt -
It doesn't negate the fact that neither Harris Nor Biden has interacted with them.
It doesn't negate any of what the parents are expressing.

It also does not negate that this wouldn't even be a newsworthy story if the Democrats were not once again clutching their pearls in response.

 

[iluvatar5150]

But Trump - but Trump - it is no longer a practical defensive move.

You were making a comparison between Harris/Biden and Trump. "But Trump" is a perfectly legitimate response.

It doesn't negate how the families who lost their child felt -
It doesn't negate the fact that neither Harris Nor Biden has interacted with them.
It doesn't negate any of what the parents are expressing.

It also does not negate that this wouldn't even be a newsworthy story if the Democrats were not once again clutching their pearls in response.

It wouldn't have been a newsworthy story if Trump's lackies hadn't pushed their way past a staff member. But go ahead and keep ignoring the fact that his staff acted like jerks and he's yet to apologize for it or correct them.

 

[Hans Blaster]

Name one time he goes to a public event and there is not photographers -

Good grief, did no one listen to the families?

I am not discounting them. They got hookwinked.

 

[wing2000]

In a video, Gold Star father Mark Schmitz, father of Lance Corporal Jared Schmitz, said they didn't invite Trump to the cemetery to "help his campaign."

I have don't have an issue with the family.

I have an issue with the actions and words of the Trump campaign.

 

[loveofourlord]

I have don't have an issue with the family.

I have an issue with the actions and words of the Trump campaign.

yeah I doubt the family did that, doesn't mean trump didn't plan to use it.

 

[Always in His Presence]

I am not discounting them. They got hookwinked.

Yeah, you're right - they should have stayed with the ones who didn't give them the time of day after being responsible for their deaths. Sure - they would have felt much better.

 

[Always in His Presence]

yeah I doubt the family did that, doesn't mean trump didn't plan to use it.

and yet - they publicly came to his defense when he used it. hmm....

 

[wing2000]

It also does not negate that this wouldn't even be a newsworthy story if the Democrats were not once again clutching their pearls in response.

Yea, tell that to the angry veterans of this country.