President Joe Biden’s recent debate claim that no U.S. troops have died under his watch has sparked outrage among Gold Star families, who feel deeply disrespected by the false statement. During the debate against former President Donald Trump, Biden attempted to highlight his foreign policy successes by stating, “I’m the only president this century, that doesn’t have any – this decade – that doesn’t have any troops dying anywhere in the world, like he did.” This assertion has been proven false, as 16 U.S. troops have died in overseas attacks since Biden assumed office.
The most notable incident occurred during the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021, where 13 American soldiers lost their lives in Kabul. Additionally, three U.S. troops were killed in an attack in Jordan earlier this year.
Gold Star families, who have lost loved ones in these tragic events, were infuriated by Biden’s remarks. Mark Schmitz, whose son Marine Cpl. Jared Schmitz was killed in the Afghanistan withdrawal, expressed his outrage to the New York Post. “My phone blew up for probably 20 minutes after that came through, and everybody was just in utter shock,” he said. Schmitz described his feelings as “beyond ticked off, disrespected,” reflecting the sentiment of many other families.
Steve Nikoui, father of Marine Lance Cpl. Kareem Nikoui, also killed in Kabul, was similarly appalled. “I did see that, and I was just as shocked as anyone else, but I wasn’t surprised,” he said. Nikoui hopes that Biden’s false claim will reveal to the American public what Gold Star families have been enduring for the past three years.
Christy Shamblin, mother-in-law of Marine Sgt. Nicole Gee who was also killed in Kabul, criticized Biden’s leadership as “reckless and weak.” She emphasized that such leadership “will continue to produce results of dead Americans,” and condemned the administration for turning their backs on grieving families while promoting and rewarding those who remain silent.
Darin Hoover, whose son Staff Sgt. Darin Taylor Hoover died in the Kabul attack, was incensed by Biden’s false statement. “When Biden said that not one person in the military was killed under his watch, I yelled at what I was hearing,” Hoover told the Daily Mail. He recounted Biden’s behavior during the dignified transfer ceremony, where the president was seen checking his watch multiple times, an action that has remained a sore point for many Gold Star families.
The indignation over Biden’s false claim is compounded by previous instances of perceived insensitivity. Jiennah McCollum, widow of Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Rylee McCollum, recounted how Biden shifted the focus from her husband’s death to talk about his own son Beau Biden’s service and death from brain cancer. This conversation felt “scripted and shallow” to the grieving family.
