Gold Star Families Demand Accountability and Respect from Democrats Kamala Harris and the Biden Administration

Five Gold Star families appeared publicly on Bannon’s WarRoom and condemned  Democrat Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democrat nominee for President, for her demonstrated lack of empathy and inadequate response following the tragic deaths of their loved ones in the chaotic U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan. The families who lost their children in the August 2021 Abbey Gate bombing in Kabul expressed their deep frustration and sense of abandonment during Tuesday’s interview on WarRoom Battleground with Matt Boyle of Breitbart News.

The WarRoom Battleground interview, framed as the Families of Abbey Gate Special, gave these families a platform to voice their grievances against Harris and the Biden administration. The interview highlighted their struggles of ongoing pain and frustration over what they see as a lack of acknowledgment and communication from top officials regarding the tragic loss of their loved ones in the 2021 Abbey Gate bombing.

Christy Shamblin, the mother-in-law of Nicole Gee, one of the 13 service members killed, was particularly vocal on the program. She criticized Harris for her perceived insensitivity and lack of engagement with the families.

Shamblin was shocked by Harris’s August 31, 2024 social media post criticizing Republican Presidential candidate Donald J. Trump’s participation in a memorial service at Arlington National Cemetery in August 2024.

Shamblin emphasized that despite numerous attempts to contact Harris and extend an invitation to her to the same Arlington event where Trump appeared, Harris never responded.

"Having her post that on social media has made us a target. It’s shocking and unacceptable,” Shamblin stated.

Here is the post:

As Vice President, I have had the privilege of visiting Arlington National Cemetery several times. It is a solemn place; a place where we come together to honor American heroes who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service of this nation.

It is not a place for politics.

And…

— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) August 31, 2024

Stephen Couri, the father of Lance Corporal Kareem Nikoui, also voiced his discontent, criticizing Harris and the administration’s handling of the situation. Couri accused the administration of attempting to make the families forget and move on from their grief. "It’s typical of this administration. They want us to forget and move on, but we will not let them sweep this under the rug,” Couri asserted, denouncing what he views as a pattern of neglect from those in power.

Jim McCollum, father of Lance Corporal Riley McCollum, echoed similar sentiments, describing his disappointment and personal hurt at Harris’s perceived dismissal of the memorial event. "This one became personal. There was a beautiful moment to recognize our kids, and it was politicized. It’s disrespectful and painful,” McCollum shared. He also criticized the media for misrepresenting the event and for the ongoing threats faced by the Gold Star families.

The families reported a consistent lack of substantive response or support from Harris and the Biden administration. They expressed frustration with the ongoing political narrative, which they feel ignores the real issues and sacrifices made by their loved ones. "The complete lack of acknowledgment and support from the administration shows a disregard for the sacrifices made,” said Shamblin. "It feels like a deliberate attempt to avoid accountability.”

When asked what they would say to Harris if given the chance, the families had pointed questions and demands:

Shamblin would ask, "How can you call the Afghanistan withdrawal a success? And how will you ensure this does not happen again?”

Couri questioned the administration’s pre-withdrawal actions, asking why they did not prepare for the inevitable collapse of Afghanistan sooner. McCollum emphasized the need for accountability, asking, "Where have you been for the last three years? What have you done?”

In part two of the program, Coral Doolittle and Kelly Barnett, who also lost their sons in the Abbey Gate attack, shared their poignant reflections on the aftermath of their sons’ deaths. They criticized the administration’s handling of their losses and the media’s attacks on former President Donald Trump.

Doolittle questioned the motives behind the administration’s actions, asking, "Why was my child not important enough to do this the right way?” referring to Vice President Harris and the messy, deadly and disasterous withdraw from the region.

Both mothers were distraught by Harris’s absence during the dignified transfer ceremony at Dover Air Force Base and President Biden’s repeated watch-checking, which they found deeply disrespectful.

Doolittle and Barnett praised Trump’s visit to Arlington National Cemetery, arguing that the media and political opponents lied about his actions.

Doolittle noted, "President Trump paid his respects to our kids and is the only one who took time to meet with their families and honor their names.”

The accounts from these Gold Star families expose the enduring suffering, pain and frustration, reflecting a broader sense of betrayal and disrespect.

Their calls for genuine respect and accountability from those in power serve as a poignant reminder of the real human cost behind political decisions and failures, and they should be addressed, especially before the November election.

Their stories reveal their losses’ profound impact and demand for respect and recognition from top officials and the public.

For more context, watch this multi-part series of 5 Gold Star families and their messages:

Gold Star Families Give Their Reaction To Kamala’s Attack On Trump’s Visit To Arlington

Gold Star Families Rip Kamala’s Lack Of Character For Never Reaching Out To Them

Gold Star Families Describe Feeling Anything But Joy Under Harris

Gold Star Mothers Describe The Agony Of Knowing Their Sons Were One Of The 13 That Died

Gold Star Mothers Describe Biden Mixing Up Their Names During Dignified Transfer