Photo: Alamy
President Donald Trump honored the 13 fallen American military service members at the Arlington National Cemetery on Monday, marking the third anniversary of their deaths during a bombing at the Kabul airport.
Trump remembered the service members during a ceremony that included time at the tombstones of each of the 13 individuals who died during the American military’s withdrawal from Afghanistan three years ago.
Trump campaign spokesman Chris LaCivita also posted a video on X revealing a phone call Trump made to the family of SSG Ryan Knauss who could not make it to Arlington.
The 45th president also criticized the Biden-Harris administration in a Truth Social post early Monday.
“This is the third anniversary of the BOTCHED Afghanistan withdrawal, the most EMBARRASSING moment in the history of our Country. Gross Incompetence – 13 DEAD American soldiers, hundreds of people wounded and dead, AMERICANS and BILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF MILITARY EQUIPMENT LEFT BEHIND,” Trump wrote.
“You don’t take our soldiers out first, you take them out LAST, when all else is successfully done,” he added.
The list of the American service members killed in Afghanistan include the following, according to the Defense Department. For the Marine Corps, the deceased are:
Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Darin T. Hoover, 31, of Salt Lake City, Utah.
Marine Corps Sgt. Johanny Rosario Pichardo, 25, of Lawrence, Massachusetts.
Marine Corps Sgt. Nicole L. Gee, 23, of Sacramento, California.
Marine Corps Cpl. Hunter Lopez, 22, of Indio, California.
Marine Corps Cpl. Daegan W. Page, 23, of Omaha, Nebraska.
Marine Corps Cpl. Humberto A. Sanchez, 22, of Logansport, Indiana.
Marine Corps Lance Cpl. David L. Espinoza, 20, of Rio Bravo, Texas.
Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Jared M. Schmitz, 20, of St. Charles, Missouri.
Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Rylee J. McCollum, 20, of Jackson, Wyoming.
Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Dylan R. Merola, 20, of Rancho Cucamonga, California.
Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Kareem M. Nikoui, 20, of Norco, California.
For the Navy, the deceased is:
Navy Hospitalman Maxton W. Soviak, 22, of Berlin Heights, Ohio.
For the Army, the deceased is:
Army Staff Sgt. Ryan C. Knauss, 23, of Corryton, Tennessee.