Republican Vice Presidential candidate JD Vance, R-O.H., ignited controversy with his sharp criticism of Vice President Kamala Harris and her disrespect of the 13 U.S. Army veterans who lost their lives during the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan two years ago.
The media quickly lost their minds and called Vance’s criticisms “unhinged.”
Vance used inflammatory language to express his frustration over the Biden administration’s mishandling of the situation, which forced the U.S. military to abandon billions of dollars in equipment and put American lives at risk.
His comments, made at a campaign event in Erie, Pennsylvania, have drawn criticism from the media for their blunt nature and the subsequent clarification provided by the senator.
“Three years ago, 13 brave, innocent Americans died, and they died because Kamala Harris refused to do her job, and there hasn’t been a single investigation or a single firing,” Vance said. He went on to describe Harris as “disgraceful” and criticized the lack of accountability in the wake of the tragedy.
“Kamala Harris is so asleep at the wheel that she won’t even do an investigation into what happened, and she wants to yell at Donald Trump because he showed up,” he said. “She can go to hell.”
Vance’s remarks came in response to a question about a reported incident at Arlington National Cemetery involving the Trump campaign.
The Trump campaign has since been vindicated —
BREAKING: Gold Star Families have released a powerful statement supporting former President Donald Trump in the face of an onslaught of dishonest media attacks.
Trump recently visited Arlington National Cemetery to honor the lives of 13 servicemen who were killed in the Afghan… pic.twitter.com/PNraqYNMIq
— Kyle Becker (@kylenabecker) August 28, 2024
The Ohio senator addressed the real issue: the aftermath of the 2021 Kabul airport bombing that resulted in the deaths of 13 U.S. service members.
When asked to clarify his comments by NBC News, Vance acknowledged his emotional response.
“Sometimes I get frustrated, and sometimes I get pissed off,” he said. “And I think Kamala Harris’ failure of leadership at Abbey Gate is something to get frustrated and angry about.”
Vance accused the Harris campaign of attempting to politicize the incident at Arlington National Cemetery. He expressed particular frustration with what he perceives as a lack of engagement from Harris with the families of the fallen service members.
“The fact that Kamala Harris wants to make that an issue when she refuses to show up, refuses to even call the families whose children are dead because of her leadership, I think that’s something that justifies a little bit of frustration, and I certainly showed that today,” Vance said.
The senator’s comments highlight the ongoing political scandal surrounding the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and its aftermath.
Vance and other critics argue that the administration has not been sufficiently accountable for the events at Abbey Gate, the Biden administration maintains that multiple investigations have been conducted.