Arlington Gives Gold Star Families the Run Around Over Trump Speaking Until Mike Johnson Steps In

AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib

It seems as though Trump derangement syndrome (TDS) knows no bounds. From things that can be classified as silly, like former First Lady Melania Trump never appearing on the cover of magazines like Vogue, to the extremely serious, like an assassination attempt. Closer to the serious end of the scale lands the folks at Arlington National Cemetery and their recent treatment of the 13 Gold Star families of service members killed in the Afghanistan withdrawal at Abbey Gate and the ceremony marking the third anniversary of that incident, with former President Donald Trump attending that ceremony. 

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Per a Daily Caller exclusive report, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA) ultimately ended up intervening so that Trump, who had been invited to attend the ceremony and laid a wreath for the service members, could get into Arlington National Cemetery. This part of the never-ending disrespect these families have received at the hands of the Biden-Harris federal government begins with the Cemetery informing the families that there was a specific time that the ceremony could be held, but that time was not convenient for all family members. They were also informed that Trump would not be able to join them at their loved ones's gravesites.

Darin Hoover and Kelly Barnett are the parents of SSGT Taylor Hoover. Hoover and Barnett contacted Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX), Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, who, in turn, contacted Speaker Johnson. Johnson made a phone call, and what do you know, the situation changed. In addition to Johnson and McCaul, Reps. Brian Mast (R-FL) and Darrell Issa (R-CA) also stepped in to help the families to make sure the ceremony went off without a hitch.

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But this is not the only roadblock that Arlington National Cemetery put up, a place whose very existence is to pay respect to those who have served. The Cemetery claimed that the families had stated they did not want any media, photography, or videography at the gravesites. That, however, was not the case. The families had stated that media designated by Trump's team was acceptable. However, Arlington kept interfering in the process.

Darin Hoover bluntly explained the situation and why the families wanted Trump at the ceremony.

“We, WE extended the invitation to President Trump. We are the ones that asked him to come. We are the ones that asked him to assist in laying a wreath for our son, and for the shooting for, Sergeant Canals and for Cole. We’re the ones that asked that. President Trump didn’t come to us. His team didn’t come to us and say, hey, this would be good for business. Business? No. President Trump has stood by us from day one. He has been compassionate. He has been loving. He’s been understanding. He’s taking the mantle of our outrage a little bit. Because to be quite honest with you, being very frank, we haven’t heard diddly squat from the current administration in three years,”

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This is just the Biden-Harris administration's latest poke in the eye of these families. Immediately after the botched withdrawal, Biden called it an "extraordinary success." Then, as the bodies of the fallen service members were taken off a C-17 cargo plane in a dignified transfer, all Joe Biden could do was look at his watch. On Monday, the day of the ceremony, while family members honored their loved ones and their sacrifice to the nation, Joe Biden was busy with yet another vacation tanning himself on a beach in Rehoboth, Delaware, and Kamala Harris was busy campaigning. If the withdrawal was the extraordinary success that Joe Biden says it is, why didn't he or Kamala Harris show up? Because they know it wasn't, and they know what would have happened if they did.

My colleague Bonchie reported on what may be the most disgusting antics these families have had to endure. The media, more specifically, The New York Times's"Maggie Haberman, in order to get her TDS fix for the day, contacted families of those in surrounding gravesites, hoping to get a negative quote about Trump or the families.  

It is the complete and total dismissal of these families and the ongoing disrespect by the Biden-Harris administration on which Rep. Issa remarked, noting: “This administration absolutely interfered with the tributes to the 13 fallen. In its war on Trump, it made the Gold Star families collateral damage." The sincerest hope for these families is that Donald Trump is reelected, they will get to the bottom of the Afghanistan withdrawal debacle, and these families will be treated with the honor and respect they deserve.

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