In the latest escalation of a controversy surrounding former President Donald Trump’s Arlington Cemetery Visit, several Gold Star families have come forward to defend Trump’s actions while condemning Vice President Kamala Harris for her criticism. The families, who lost loved ones during the 2021 Kabul airport attack amidst the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, were in attendance at the cemetery, and have taken issue with Harris’ recent remarks.
On Saturday, Vice President Harris publicly criticized Trump, accusing him of using the sacred grounds of Arlington National Cemetery as part of a political stunt. Harris took to social media, where she expressed her disdain, stating that the former president and his campaign had disrespected the hallowed site.
In response, Trump released a series of videos featuring the Gold Star families who participated in the cemetery visit. These videos included messages from families who both did and did not formally invite Trump to the memorial, underscoring their support for his presence.
One of the most vocal families was that of Mark Schmitz, whose son, Lance Corporal Jared Schmitz, was among the 13 U.S. service members killed in the Kabul attack. Schmitz clarified that they did not invite Trump to Arlington Cemetery to advance his political campaign but rather to seek leadership. “We wanted a leader,” Schmitz stated emphatically in one of the videos.
Jim McCollum, the father of Lance Corporal Rylee McCollum, also spoke out, directing his anger towards Vice President Harris. “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,” McCollum said. He further criticized Harris for failing to acknowledge the families or reach out to them in the three years since the tragic incident.
The controversy intensified following reports of an altercation between a cemetery official and a member of Trump’s campaign staff during the visit. While the Trump campaign asserted that they had received explicit permission to bring “campaign designated media” onto the grounds, Arlington National Cemetery’s policies—governed by federal law—strictly prohibit filming for partisan, political, or fundraising purposes, even at the request of the fallen’s families.
The Army released a statement addressing the incident, noting that a cemetery employee who tried to enforce these rules was “abruptly pushed aside” by a Trump campaign staffer. The matter was reported to the Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall (JBM-HH) police department, but the employee ultimately chose not to press charges. The Army has since declared the incident closed.
Former President Trump has continued to make the Afghanistan withdrawal a focal point of his campaign, particularly in recent stops in Michigan and Pennsylvania. Trump has vehemently defended his actions at Arlington and has shifted the blame for the 13 deaths onto the Biden-Harris administration. During a stop in Potterville, Michigan, Trump stated, “Joe Biden killed their children by incompetence. It should never happen. Kamala killed their children, just as though they had a gun in their hand, by gross incompetence.”
The controversy has also spilled over into Trump’s campaign trail, with the former president touting his interactions with the families as a key moment. “I love those people, I’m so happy they took pictures of me and them,” Trump remarked during a campaign stop in Pennsylvania.
The incident marks another chapter in the deeply emotional and politically charged aftermath of the Kabul airport attack. As the 2024 election approaches, it’s likely that the debate surrounding the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and the treatment of Gold Star families will continue to be a contentious issue for both parties.
