In a highly charged atmosphere, President Joe Biden faced severe criticism during a meeting with families of the 13 U.S. service members who lost their lives in Afghanistan. The intense emotions were palpable as grieving relatives expressed their anger and disappointment following what they described as a "scripted and shallow" interaction with the President. As Mr. Biden left Dover Air Force Base after meeting with the families, one woman was heard screaming, “I hope you burn in hell! That was my brother!” The raw emotions reflected the families' grief and anger over the tragic loss of their loved ones during a chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan.
The situation escalated when Mark Schmitz, the father of one of the fallen soldiers, publicly expressed his frustration with Biden's demeanor during the meeting. He noted that the President seemed to check his watch multiple times, which only added to the families' dismay as they sought acknowledgment of their loved ones' sacrifices. It was a moment that many felt should have been treated with the utmost respect and solemnity.
During the meeting, emotional exchanges took place as families urged the President to remember their loved ones. Schmitz poignantly told Biden, “Don’t you ever forget that name. Don’t you ever forget that face.” However, Biden's response, which included a curt remark about knowing their stories, failed to resonate with the grieving families, many of whom felt the President's focus remained on his deceased son rather than the soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice.
