It has been four years since 13 U.S. service members were killed as troops were withdrawing from Afghanistan.
The bombing at Abbey Gate was largely ignored by then-President Joe Biden, according to The Hill.
That changed Monday as President Donald Trump and Gold Star families marked the occasion with a ceremony in the Oval Office where the president signed a proclamation.
President Trump on Monday signed a proclamation to mark the fourth anniversary of the bombing at Abbey Gate that killed 13 U.S. service members during the withdrawal of American forces from Afghanistan.
“There are some great souls that are looking down on you right now, and they’re very proud of their parents, and brothers, and sisters, and moms and dads especially. That’s what I seem to have dealt with mostly,” Trump said.
“And the media, I want to thank you because you’ve been very respectful of this group of people, and they deserve it.”
“They went through hell for no reason. It should have never happened,” Trump before he signed the proclamation.
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The proclamation named Biden several times and calls the troops’ withdrawal from Afghanistan as the “single most embarrassing display of American foreign policy in the history of our country.”
“As our Nation solemnly marks 4 years since the attack at Abbey Gate, we honor the memory of the 13 brave souls and every military service member to ever die in the line of duty — and we renew our resolve to protect American lives, defend American interests, and uphold American sovereignty,” the proclamation states.
Abbey Gate was a rallying cry for the Trump campaign in 2024 with how the Biden administration handled the U.S. withdrawal.
Trump marked last year’s anniversary by visiting Alington Cemetery. However, that visit was overshadowed when Trump staffers argued with cemetery officials.
