Former President Donald Trump earned high praise from a Florida Republican and combat veteran officer who spent “hours” with him and several Gold Star families who lost loved ones in Afghanistan during President Joe Biden’s chaotic and ill-advised withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Less than two days before the last U.S. troops left the country, a suicide bomber managed to infiltrate a checkpoint and detonate a device that killed 11 Marines, two U.S. soldiers, and a Navy corpsman, along with more than 170 Afghans. Biden was roundly criticized for authorizing the hasty pullout that, reportedly, went against the advice of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and other military leaders.
Rep. Michael Waltz, a former Green Beret, joined Fox News’ Pete Hegseth on Monday to discuss the hours-long dinner and meetings he and Trump had with the families this week.
“Congressman, Col. Waltz, you’ve done so much for those families and those trying to fleeing Afghanistan, those there to the bitter end, those who lost their lives, the Gold Star families. You had hearings with them recently, private conversations with them,” Hegseth, himself a combat vet and U.S. Army National Guard officer in reserve status, said. “When they see a statement like that come out in the middle of the night, how are they to believe they will ever get answers?”
“These families, of course, are grieving. But they are also angry. They are disgusted, they’re furious,” Waltz said. “They are still waiting for clear answers on how their loved ones died exactly.
“They were briefed one thing but are hearing conflicting reports from the survivors of the Abbey Gate bombing. Some of them still don’t have all of the personnel effects, for example, the sim cards from their phones, their final photos,” he added.
“But the true insult to injury is from the commander-in-chief himself when [President Biden] lied to some of them at Dover [Air Force Base] and said he understood how they felt because Beau came home in a flag-draped casket when they knew he died of cancer,” the retired Army officer said.
Dover is where the remains of American servicemen and servicewoman are flown when returning to the U.S.
“Look, we were able to spend a great evening last night with them and President Trump. He spent 4 hours with them at a round table and heard their stories. He promised them when he gets in office, he will release everything,” Waltz said.
“The tapes, the correspondence, the total lack of planning. All of it. Because they deserve transparency,” he added.
“But I have to tell you, only him, by the end of the night at a beautiful dinner, could have them laughing. Several of the couples got up and danced together. They cried on each other’s shoulders. But they were also — they came up to me and said this was the most meaningful thing that they have had in the last 2 years, just to have the president lend a listening ear and promise them transparency. They believe he will deliver on that promise,” Waltz noted.
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