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A2 u.s. news
Monday 2 SepteMber 2024

Trump issues statement from Gold Star families defending Arlington

Cemetery visit and ripping Harris

By BILL BARROW service members. cred ground" where many
Associated Press It's the latest volley in an ex- Afghanistan war dead are
ATLANTA (AP) — Donald tended back and forth as buried. Trump and the fami-
Trump's campaign issued a Trump tries to saddle Harris lies of some of those killed in
statement Sunday from the with the Biden administra- the bombing blame Harris, as
Gold Star military families tion's handling of the cha- they did President Joe Biden
who invited him to Arlington otic U.S. withdrawal from Af- before he ended his reelec-
National Cemetery as they ghanistan in 2021, including tion bid, for their loved ones'
defended the Republican a suicide bombing that killed deaths. The families say the
presidential nominee and 13 U.S. service members. former president was honor-
insisted that Vice President Harris on Saturday accused ing their loved ones when he
Kamala Harris is the candi- Trump of staging a "political came to Arlington.
date politicizing fallen U.S. stunt" that "disrespected sa- His campaign later distribut- Misty Fuoco, left, sister of Nicole Gee, and Republican
presidential nominee former President Donald Trump place their
hands over their heart after placing a wreath in honor of Sgt.
Nicole Gee, at the Tomb of the Unknown Solider at Arlington
National Cemetery, Monday, Aug. 26, 2024, in Arlington, Va.
Associated Press
ed images of the visit despite Christy Shamblin, Gee's
the cemetery's prohibition mother-in-law, said in a
on partisan activity on the 90-second message that
grounds. Trump and his aides were "re-
"President Trump was invited spectful" and a "a comfort"
by us, the Gold Star families, to the families who gathered
to attend the solemn cere- at Arlington. Then she direct-
monies commemorating the ly addressed her remarks to
three-year anniversary of our Harris.
children's deaths," said the "Why won't you return a call
relatives' joint statement. "He and explain how you call my
was there to honor their sac- daughter-in-law's death a
rifice, yet Vice President Har- success?" Shamblin said.
ris has disgracefully twisted "Why would you take a day
this sacred moment into a where we celebrated the
political ploy." deaths of our loved ones
Gold Star families have lost a and use it to disparage not
loved one in military service. only them, but us."
Trump laid wreaths last Mon- Biden and first lady Jill Biden
day in honor of Sgt. Nicole went to Dover Air Force Base
Gee, Staff Sgt. Darin Hoover in 2021 for the ceremony
and Staff Sgt. Ryan Knauss. returning the service mem-
They were among 13 U.S. bers' remains to U.S. soil. The
service members and more Bidens met privately with
than 100 Afghans who died family members at Dover.
in an Aug. 26, 2021, bomb- The Bidens were joined at
ing at Hamid Karzai Interna- the ceremony by several top
tional Airport as U.S. forces aides in the administration,
withdrew from Afghanistan. including Defense Secretary
Trump thanked the family Lloyd Austin, then-chairman
members for their statement of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
via social media. "Thank you Gen. Mark Milley and Secre-
for saying you wanted me to tary of State Antony Blinken.
stand with you ... and take Shamblin was among the
pictures, that it was your re- several family members who
quest, not mine," he wrote. also spoke at the Republican
Throughout the weekend, National Convention in July
Trump has used his social on Trump's behalf. Several
media accounts to distrib- family members have joined
ute video testimonials from Trump's running mate, Sen.
some relatives who signed JD Vance of Ohio, on a con-
the statement. ference call with media.q