WATCH: Trump attends wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington to honor service members killed in Afghanistan

ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA: Former president Donald Trump visited Arlington National Cemetery on Monday, August 26, to mark the third anniversary of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Trump attended a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier joined by family members of the 13 US soldiers killed in a bombing at Abbey Gate during the withdrawal on August 26, 2021.

Donald Trump honors fallen service members, slams 'botched' Afghanistan withdrawal

Donald Trump used the occasion to highlight his criticism of the chaotic pullout and to draw a contrast between his actions and those of Vice President Kamala Harris and President Joe Biden.

Trump slammed the Biden administration’s handling of the Afghanistan withdrawal as the most “embarrassing moment” in US history in a post on Truth Social hours before attending the wreath-laying ceremony.

“This is the third anniversary of the BOTCHED Afghanistan withdrawal, the most EMBARRASSING moment in the history of our Country,” Trump wrote.

“Gross Incompetence – 13 DEAD American soldiers, hundreds of people wounded and dead, AMERICANS and BILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF MILITARY EQUIPMENT LEFT BEHIND," he added to the post.

What did Donald Trump do during Arlington National Cemetery?

During the ceremony, Donald Trump walked alongside the families of the fallen soldiers as they laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Trump listened to taps and repeated the wreath-laying process twice more to honor others, noted The Hill.

"You don’t take our soldiers out first, you take them out LAST, when all else is successfully done,” Trump further slammed Democrats in the post.

“Russia then invaded Ukraine, Israel was attacked, and the USA became, and is, a laughing stock all over the World," Trump wrote.

Notably, family members of the 13 soldiers killed during the Afghanistan withdrawal spoke at the Republican National Convention, where they criticized Biden and said that Trump had shown more sympathy for their loss.

Joe Biden and Kamala Harris commemorate Afghanistan withdrawal, praise sacrifices of fallen Americans 

Both Joe Biden and Kamala Harris released statements on Monday, August 26, to mark the third anniversary of the withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Recalling the killing of 13 American service members and more than 100 innocent Afghans in the attack, he said, "Today, and every day, we honor our fallen."

“They embodied the very best of who we are as a nation: brave, committed, selfless. 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," Biden said.

 “Today and every day, I mourn and honor them. My prayers are with their families and loved ones," Kamala Harris wrote.

She also reiterated that Biden “made the courageous and right decision to end America’s longest war” and emphasized that the administration has shown it can still eliminate terrorists without deploying troops into combat zones.

Internet reacts to Donald Trump’s Arlington visit 

Meanwhile, social media users blasted Joe Biden and Kamala Harris for not attending the ceremony.

Daniel Baldwin wrote on X, "President Trump is honoring the 13 US service members killed in the withdrawal from Afghanistan at Arlington Cemetery. Biden is lying on a beach on vacation. Kamala Harris hasn’t said a word about them."

Another user wrote, "Where is Biden?! Donald Trump is honoring the 13 US American Heroe's who died in the Kabul, Afghanistan attack three years ago today because of Biden! Trump will show his respect at Arlington National Cemetery."

MAGA political commentator Gunther Eagleman asked, "Where is Joe Biden and Kamala Harris…?"

"Where in Biden? Where is Harris? This was their fault and are nowhere to be seen. Trump at the wreath ceremony for the Afghanistan 13," asked one more.

 

Another wrote, "Isn’t it strange that the guy who apparently called the military “suckers and losers” is the only one at Arlington National Cemetery for the 3rd anniversary of the botched Afghan withdrawal where 13 soldiers died? Where’s Kamala? Where’s Joe?"

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.