The Patriot Post® · RNC: A Costly Memorial Day

By the Republican National Committee

BIDEN HAS FAILED TO HONOR AMERICA’S VETERANS

• America’s veterans put their lives on the line to defend our country and protect our freedoms, and we are forever indebted. 
• Under Biden’s leadership, service members, veterans, and Gold Star families have been treated disgracefully.
  • Because of Biden’s botched Afghanistan withdrawal, 13 brave U.S. service members lost their lives – deaths that Biden claimed were inevitable¹.
    • During the dignified transfer of the 13 service members killed in Biden’s botched Afghanistan withdrawal, Biden repeatedly checked his watch² in a blatant show of disrespect³.
      • Biden has never even said⁴ the names of these 13 heroes out loud in public.
  • In Biden’s first year as president, he completely ignored⁵ the anniversary of D-Day, and the following year waited until 8:45pm⁶ to acknowledge the bravery and sacrifice of America’s heroes.
  • Last year, Biden abruptly walked out⁷ of a Medal of Honor ceremony, even before the closing benediction.
  • In October, Biden doxxed U.S. special forces soldiers⁸ in Israel by sharing a photo on Instagram that showed the faces of service members on assignment.
  • Biden’s administration provided unauthorized access⁹ to the military records of seven Republican congressional candidates in 2022.
  • As vice president, Biden called American service members who didn’t clap for him¹⁰ “stupid bastards.”
• One national poll of veterans found, 73 percent¹¹ have a negative view of the Biden administration’s withdrawal from Afghanistan.
• 83 percent¹¹ of veterans say they have been dissatisfied with the “lack of accountability from senior civilian and military officials in how they handled the withdrawal.”

BIDEN’S TREATMENT OF GOLD STAR FAMILIES HAS BEEN A DISGRACE

• Biden¹² has never taken responsibility¹³ for his exit from Afghanistan, saying he makes “no apologies” and has even claimed that his deadly withdrawal was a success.
• Instead, the Biden administration has attempted to brush off and downplay¹⁴ their Afghanistan disaster.
  • In June 2023, Biden denied that mistakes were made during the Afghanistan withdrawal and claimed that he was “right¹⁵.”
  • Biden has never backtracked on that claim despite the death of 13 U.S. servicemembers¹⁶, Afghanistan’s worsening humanitarian crisis¹⁷ under the Taliban, and the danger to U.S. national security¹⁸.
• In the two years since this tragic accident, Gold Star families have relentlessly demanded answers and accountability from the Biden administration.
  • Kelly Barnett, whose son, Marine Staff Sgt. Darin Taylor Hoover, was killed in the withdrawal¹⁹: Biden “needs to be a grown man. He needs to come out and say, ‘Yeah, I made a mistake … I was looking for a photo op, and I messed up.’”
  • Christina Shamblin, mother-in-law of fallen Marine Sgt. Nicole Gee²⁰: “When our leaders, including our secretary of defense and our Commander-in-Chief call this evacuation a success as if there should be celebration, it is like a knife in the heart for our families and for the people who came back.”
  • Cheryl Rex, whose son, Marine Lance Cpl. Dylan Merola, died in the Kabul airport bombing²⁰: “I feel I deserve real answers, real truths, facts and for someone to be accountable for the failures that occurred, that took my son’s life.”
• This year, three U.S. soldiers were killed²¹ and more than 40 were injured in a drone attack launched by Iran-backed militants.
  • 16 days prior to the attack, Biden said he “delivered the message to Iran²²” and “they know not to do anything²².”
  • Iran clearly wasn’t listening – Iranian terror proxies have mounted over 165 attacks²³ on U.S. troops in Iraq and Syria since October.
• Despite Biden telling Iran to stop²⁴ aiding Houthi attacks on shipping, the Iranian-backed pirates continue to severely disrupt trade²⁵ in the Red Sea.
  • Two U.S. Navy SEALs were declared dead²⁴ after they went missing on a mission to seize Iranian missile parts being sent to the Houthis.
• Biden’s poor treatment of Gold Star families is not new – a Gold Star father described his 2016 meeting with Biden as a “horrible experience²⁶” and that he left their conversation “feeling worse” than before.

ON DAY ONE, PRESIDENT TRUMP WILL RESTORE RESPECT FOR AMERICA’S VETERANS

• President Trump understands that veterans are²⁷ “America’s greatest living heroes, and we will cherish you now, always, and forever.”
• President Trump made historic accomplishments²⁸ for America’s veterans, and is poised to do so again.
  • President Trump signed the VA MISSION Act, which revolutionized the VA health care system and gave veterans more choice in their health care.
  • President Trump expanded access to telehealth services for veterans, including through the VA’s “Anywhere to Anywhere” program.
  • President Trump signed the Forever G.I. Bill, improving educational benefits for veterans, service members, and their families.
  • President Trump ordered that federal student debt for America’s totally and permanently disabled veterans be automatically forgiven.
  • President Trump ordered the formation of the PREVENTS Initiative, a task force that has created a roadmap to prevent veteran suicide.
  • President Trump signed legislation making it easier to fire VA employees for misconduct or poor performance.
    • In the first 30 months of the Trump Administration, more than 7,600 VA employees that have failed our veterans were fired.
  • President Trump also signed into law a resolution honoring active-duty soldiers who served in Operation Desert Storm or Operation Desert Shield.

Originally posted here²⁹.