By Just one day after President Biden insulted the families of the victims of terrorism by saying he’d “do 9-11,” White House communications adviser John Kirby is under fire after he appeared to dismiss the concerns of military veterans critical of the 2021 Afghanistan withdrawal.”
The incident occurred on Wednesday when Kirby responded to a press inquiry from Fox News Digital regarding the critical remarks of several veterans, including Rep. Cory Mills. These veterans had voiced strong disapproval of Kirby’s recent statements during a Monday press conference, accusing him of providing “cover” for the Biden administration’s handling of the Afghanistan exit.
In his response, Kirby wrote, “Obviously no use in responding. A ‘handful’ of vets indeed and all of one stripe,” in a “reply all” email intended for White House staffers. However, the email also reached the Fox News Digital team, who had initiated the inquiry. Kirby’s dismissive tone has drawn sharp criticism, especially from veterans who feel their perspectives on the chaotic withdrawal have been marginalized.
The email chain began when Fox News Digital sought a comment from the White House on the blistering criticisms from the four veterans. The email, which included the veterans’ quotes, was forwarded to the National Security Council staff, leading to Kirby’s unintended reply.
Realizing his mistake, Kirby quickly followed up with a message to a Fox News Digital reporter, stating, “Clearly, I didn’t realize you were on the chain.” At the time, Kirby was traveling with President Biden to commemorate the 23rd anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.
“The bottom line is that the Biden-Harris administration chose politics over strategy, and Kirby, who I wouldn’t trust to guard my grocery list, is now trying to cover for them,” Mills, an Army veteran, said in comments to Fox News Digital.
The dismissal of concerned veterans came after the House Foreign Affairs Committee released a scathing report about the failures of the Biden administration’s leaving of Afghanistan.
Politico writes that “the report from Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas) caps a three-year investigation that included contentious public hearings and repeated clashes with senior Biden officials over access to documents. But the probe has previously focused on Biden and top White House and State Department officials around him.
The report stresses that the “Biden-Harris administration prioritized the optics of the withdrawal over the security of U.S. personnel on the ground” and ‘misled and, in some instances, directly lied to the American people at every stage of the withdrawal.’
Sunday’s report pivots sharply from prior documents by magnifying Harris’s role in Afghanistan policy.
‘Vice President Kamala Harris was the last person in the room when President Biden made the decision to withdraw all U.S. forces from Afghanistan; a fact she boasted about shortly after President Biden issued his go-to-zero order,’ the report states. ‘Despite warnings against withdrawing by senior leaders, Vice President Harris’ aide disclosed the vice president ‘strongly supported’ President Biden’s decision. President Biden’s former Chief of Staff Ron Klain affirmed Vice President Harris was entrenched in the president’s Afghanistan policy.”
The report notes that when the evacuation took place in August 2021, Harris was on a trip to Singapore and Vietnam where she pledged the administration would continue to protect Afghan women and children. ‘Her promise has clearly not been fulfilled,’ the report concludes.”
Harris recently came under fire from the families of some of the soldiers who died during the withdrawal from Afghanistan. The vice president criticized Trump in a tweet for recording videos while honoring the fallen soldiers, claiming that, unlike the former president, she “will always honor the service and sacrifice of all of America’s fallen heroes.”
Darin Hoover, Gold Star Father of Staff Sgt. Taylor Hoover.pic.twitter.com/Ia7neWt1Ek
— Dustin Grage (@GrageDustin) September 1, 2024
At the beginning of the withdrawal in 2021, Kamala Harris bragged about “being the last one in the room” with Joe Biden as he drew up his strategy.
[Read More: Biden Slammed By 9/11 Widows]
