President Donald Trump on Monday signed a proclamation marking the fourth anniversary of the Abbey Gate bombing in Kabul, which killed 13 US service members and dozens of Afghans during the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Trump met in the Oval Office with relatives of some of those killed in the Aug. 26, 2021 attack outside Kabul’s airport, an event he has repeatedly used to criticize President Joe Biden’s handling of the withdrawal.
“There are some great souls that are looking down on you right now, and they’re very proud of their parents, and brothers, and sisters, and moms and dads especially,” Trump told the families before signing the proclamation. “They went through hell for no reason. It should have never happened.”
The proclamation describes the withdrawal as the “single most embarrassing display of American foreign policy in the history of our country” and names Biden directly several times.
“As our nation solemnly marks four years since the attack at Abbey Gate, we honor the memory of the 13 brave souls and every military service member to ever die in the line of duty — and we renew our resolve to protect American lives, defend American interests, and uphold American sovereignty,” the proclamation reads.
During the 2024 campaign, Trump frequently blamed Biden and then–Vice President Kamala Harris for the Kabul attack and the wider withdrawal, casting it as a symbol of weakness. Last year, he visited Arlington National Cemetery on the third anniversary of the withdrawal, a trip that drew controversy after campaign staff clashed with cemetery officials.
Biden and his aides have argued the administration inherited an untenable situation from Trump and made the difficult choice to end a two-decade war that previous presidents had prolonged.
