Biden slammed for making kin of slain marines in Afghanistan wait as he allegedly slept on Air Force One

Though Joe Biden was reportedly absent from the Afghan withdrawal planning, he did show up to pay respects to fallen service members at the time
UPDATED DEC 21, 2024
Joe Biden has been accused of keeping family members of slain troopers waiting ahead of dignified transfer while sleeping on Air Force One (Getty Images)
Joe Biden has been accused of keeping family members of slain troopers waiting ahead of dignified transfer while sleeping on Air Force One (Getty Images)

WASHINGTON, DC: President Joe Biden has been accused of keeping the families of US Marines killed in Afghanistan waiting for nearly three hours while he slept on the Air Force One.

The accusation made by the families of slain US Marines comes in the wake of reports claiming that Biden has not been present for key moments of his presidency, including the disastrous withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan in August 2021.

According to a Daily Mail report published on Saturday, December 21, families of slain US Marines in the operation have now come forward accusing Biden of keeping them waiting before the dignified transfer as he allegedly slept on the Air Force One on the tarmac.

Though Joe Biden was reportedly absent from the withdrawal planning, he did show up to pay his respects to the fallen service members at the tarmac and had infamously checked his watch while the proceedings were underway.

DOVER, DELAWARE - AUGUST 29: In this handout photo provided by the U.S. Air Force, a U.S. Marine Cor
A US Marine Corps carry team transfers the remains of Marine Corps Lance Cpl Kareem M Nikoui of Norco, California, on August 29, 2021, at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware (Jason Minto/US Air Force via Getty Images)

How did Joe Biden allegedly insult the relatives of fallen service members?

Roice McCollum, sister of fallen serviceman Rylee McCollum, told the Daily Mail that Joe Biden checking his watch during the ceremony was his second insult to the families of fallen troopers on that day.

"(Biden) made us wait an extra three hours to receive the bodies of our dead family members because he couldn't pull it together," she stated. While everyone was waiting for Biden to appear, Roice stated that a military officer informed them that Biden was napping on his plane.

WASHINGTON, DC - AUGUST 22: In this handout photo provided by the White House, President Joe Biden m
Joe Biden meets with his national security team for an operational update on the situation in Afghanistan on August 22, 2021, at the White House in Washington, DC (The White House via Getty Images)

Her claim was backed by Christy Shamblin, the mother-in-law of Marine Sgt Nicole Gee, and Darin Hoover, the father of Staff Sgt Taylor Hoover, who were also killed during the Afghanistan withdrawal.

"We sat in that office for what seemed like an eternity waiting on the doddering old fool," Hoover stated slamming Biden while Shamblin added, "One of the biggest shocks for me was meeting a Commander-in-Chief who was clearly not well or fit for the position he was in."

White House responds to allegations against Joe Biden

A White House National Security spokesperson responded to the allegations against the outgoing president in a statement shared with the Daily Mail where they insisted the claims of the family members of the fallen soldiers were "untrue."

Caption: WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 07: U.S. President Joe Biden speaks about the results of the 2024 election in the Rose Garden on November 07, 2024 in Washington, DC. Former President Donald Trump defeated Democratic candidate Vice President Kamala Harris. Biden pledged to work with the Trump team to ensure a smooth transition and invited the former President for an Oval Office meeting. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
Joe Biden speaks about the results of the 2024 election in the Rose Garden on November 7, 2024, in Washington, DC (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

"As President Biden said on the fourth anniversary of the tragic attack on Abbey Gate and in the letters he wrote to family members after meeting with them in Dover, ‘these 13 Americans—and the many more that were wounded—were patriots in the highest sense’ and ‘we owe them and their families a sacred debt we will never be able to fully repay, but will never cease working to fulfill,'" read the statement.

"The President honors these families, who have given more to their nation than anyone ever could, and holds them in the highest regard," it added.

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