A Gold Star mother expressed her disgust and lack of surprise at President Biden’s claim that no U.S. troops died under his watch. Kelly Barnett was the mother of Staff Sgt. Darin Taylor Hoover who was amongst the 13 service members killed in the atrocious Afghanistan withdrawal in 2021.
During the presidential debates, Biden claimed he was the “only president this century, this decade, that doesn’t have any troops dying anywhere in the world,” blatantly ignoring the 13 lives lost due to his ill-advised military withdrawal from the region.
Barnett spoke out on the matter in disgust at the disrespect the President showed to all the Gold Star families impacted by his poor actions.
Barnett said, “I was not shocked. I was angry. I believe in my soul [that] President Biden is gone. He can’t remember what he had for breakfast. I do believe he was told to say that. They want him out. I believe it was a set-up, and…however, far gone [he is] and even if I feel sorry for him, it’s still disgusting.”
Staff Sgt. Darin Taylor Hoover was 31 when he lost his life. He was 31 years old and engaged to be married upon his return from his third tour in the Middle East.
The grossly disrespectful comment was not the only one made by Biden on debate night regarding the U.S. military. Biden made the claim that “The only sacred obligation we have as a country is to care for our veterans when they come home, and their families, and equip them when they go to war…That’s what the V.A. is doing now. They’re doing more for veterans than ever before in our history.”
Barnett’s experience with the Biden Administration tells a different story. Following the withdrawal from Afghanistan, Barnett’s family did not hear from the President or his staff. Barnett explained, “We haven’t heard a word. Seven of the families, we’ve started a coalition, and we have begged. We have sent letters and emails, please talk to us. We want to talk to you. It has been refused and no word whatsoever,”
According to Barnett, it took 6-8 months after the loss of their son to receive a form letter from the Biden Administration.
Barnett compared Biden’s actions to those of former President Trump, explaining that he personally called not only herself but each family member to express his sorrow for her loss immediately following the Afghanistan withdrawal.
The disrespect Gold Star families have faced under the Biden Administration is unforgivable. Barnett shared her devastation, saying, “The whole Biden administration needs to answer for what they’ve done,” and that they know “what they did [was] wrong and what they continue to do to our families. Again, disgusting.”
The treatment of these Gold Star families stands in stark contrast to the comments made by Biden during the first presidential debate. His campaign continues to uphold this facade as the favored presidential pick by active duty military and veterans alike. Testimonies like Barnett’s expose the truth as to where the Biden Administration’s priorities lie.
