A mother wearing a gold star has clarified what happened during former President Trump's visit to Arlington Cemetery, where he honored 13 soldiers who died in a terrorist attack during the US withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Kelly Barnett, whose son, Marine Staff Sergeant Taylor Hoover, was killed during the ISIS-K assault in 2021, explained that both President Biden and Vice President Harris were invited to attend but did not show up during “America's Newsroom.”
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“I did not invite her personally or him personally. Governor Cox of Utah sent [Biden] a letter, letting him know the celebration we were having, the ceremony we were having, [and] “I told him it would be good for him to be there,” Barnett told co-host Bill Hemmer on Tuesday.
“Also, Arlington Cemetery informed them of the ceremony, so… they went there without any response from either of them. So they were aware of the ceremony. They knew it was in their best interest to be there, and they declined to attend,” he continued.
Trump joined Gold Star families at Virginia National Cemetery on Monday for a wreath-laying ceremony honoring the 13 service members killed during the Abbey Gate terrorist attack outside Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul on August 26, 2021.
Barnett said she and the other families felt called to invite the former president because of the support he provided them throughout the grieving process. They had also approved a Trump campaign photographer to film the event, Fox News previously reported.
ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA – AUGUST 26: Republican presidential candidate former U.S. President Donald Trump stands with Bill Barnett (L), whose grandson Sgt. Darin Taylor Hoover was killed in the Abbey Gate bombing, during a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery August 26, 2024 in Arlington, Virginia. (Getty Images)
Following the incident, media outlets including NPR and the Associated Press reported that the photographer had shot in a restricted area prohibiting political activity, and the US military added that a cemetery staff member had been “abruptly removed” during the event.
“Participants in the Aug. 26 ceremony and the subsequent Section 60 visit were informed of federal laws, Army regulations and Department of Defense policies, which clearly prohibit political activities on cemetery grounds. An ANC employee who attempted to ensure compliance with these regulations was abruptly removed,” the Army said in a statement.
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Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung said the staff member who blocked campaign photographers appeared to be suffering from a “mental health episode.” He also said the campaign had been given permission to bring a photographer.
“The fact is that a private photographer was allowed into the venue and for some reason, an anonymous individual, who was clearly suffering from a mental health episode, decided to physically block members of President Trump's team during a very solemn ceremony,” he said.
Barnett denied the reports, saying he saw nothing associated with the alleged altercation and calling it a “quiet” and “peaceful” day in honor of his son and the other lives lost.
“It was very respectful and calm and peaceful, as always in Arlington,” Barnett said. “People were whispering. We were talking… Donald Trump was right next to me. We were talking about Taylor and what a beautiful day it was and how grateful I was for her being there. I didn't hear anything. I don't know where this happened. I don't know why.”
“We didn't hear anything that whole day. Until the next day, when it came out on NPR,” he continued.
Harris attacked Trump on X for his visit to Arlington on Saturday, accusing him of “politicizing” fallen service members.
“As Vice President, I have had the privilege of visiting Arlington National Cemetery several times. It is a solemn place; a place where we gather to honor American heroes who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to this nation,” she wrote. “It is not a place for politics. And yet, as reported this week, Donald Trump's team decided to film a video there, resulting in an altercation with cemetery staff. Let me be clear: The former president disrespected hallowed ground, all for the sake of a political stunt.”
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In response, families of the 13 fallen service members released an ad criticizing the Biden-Harris administration for its handling of the deaths.
They denounced both the president and the vice president for never taking a phone call and for never giving the names of the soldiers who died three years ago.
“We've been disrespected a lot over the last three years. It's been three years. They haven't gotten a response,” Barnett said. “No, 'I'm sorry.' No, 'We're with you. We know it was a mistake. We know it went wrong.' Because we know that mistakes are made in war. This wasn't supposed to be a war, but it turned out to be, and it was important that we… let Donald Trump know that because he's been there for us. He's been our rock, and he's been there to give us some peace and carry that pain with us for a while.”
“It makes no sense for them to throw knives at us. It makes no sense for them to throw knives at him, except for the fact that they weren't there, and they felt ashamed or that [they] We were angry because he was with us,” he continued.
Fox News' Emma Colton contributed to this report.
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