White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre dodged a reporter’s question on President Joe Biden’s plan to mark the one-year anniversary of the Afghanistan withdrawal.
Associated Press White House correspondent Zeke Miller asked how the president will commemorate the one-year anniversary of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan on Aug. 30 and honor the lives of the 13 service members killed in Kabul. The press secretary said she had “nothing to share” about the president’s upcoming plans to commemorate the withdrawal.
“How does the president plan to mark that occasion? Does he plan to speak to the American people? Does he plan to honor the lives of the 13 service members?” Miller asked.
“So, as you know, last week on Friday, we did put out, the president put out a statement, released a statement where he named each of the 13 troops who were tragically killed that day. The president feels deeply about the loss that was suffered one year ago and as he said in that statement just this past Friday, he feels strongly that we owe their families support for the rest of their lives. We are never going to stop seeking justice for those who were involved in planning of the attack or for terrorists who threaten our homeland in any way,” Jean-Pierre said.
“No president feels more strongly about this than this president, about our troops than this president, and their families than this president and he and the First Lady have taken action to support our service members and their families,” Jean-Pierre added. “I don’t have anything else to share with you on any future statements that he might make.”
The press secretary said the president will be traveling to Pennsylvania Tuesday.
The president’s Friday statement commemorated the lives of 13 service members killed by an Aug. 26, 2021, suicide bombing outside of the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul. The president called the killings “a heinous terrorist attack” and named all of the serviceman who lost their lives. (RELATED: ‘You Don’t Even Care’: Mother Of Slain Marine Blasts Biden For Not Mentioning 13 Soldiers Killed In Afghanistan)
Biden issues a statement on the one year anniversary of the Kabul airport terrorist attack that killed 13 U.S. service members and over 100 Afghan civilians.
He says the U.S. has “redoubled our relentless global campaign against ISIS and other terrorists who threaten Americans.” pic.twitter.com/vG3Ra2yLUQ
— Shelby Talcott (@ShelbyTalcott) August 26, 2022
“Our nation can never repay such incredible sacrifice, but we will never fail to honor our sacred obligation to the families and survivors they left behind. I am also holding in my heart all those who lost their child, partner, parent, sibling, loved one, or battle buddy over our two decades of war in Afghanistan. 2,461 American troops made the ultimate sacrifice. 20,744 were wounded, so many whose lives are forever marked by their injuries. It is a painful reminder that there is nothing low-cost or low-grade about war for those we ask to fight for us,” Biden said in the statement.
Over 100 Afghan civilians were also killed in the attack and 18 additional U.S. service members were wounded.