The White House reiterated on Monday that President Biden remains in charge of the country despite being on a second consecutive week of vacation. White House National Security Communications Adviser John Kirby acknowledged the three-year anniversary of the Abbey Gate suicide bombing that claimed the lives of 13 U.S. service members and over 100 Afghans outside Kabul Airport.
President Biden, currently at his vacation home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, stayed out of the public eye on the anniversary of the tragic terrorist attack. Last week, while vacationing in California, Biden was not visible during an Israeli military preemptive strike on Hezbollah rocket launchers in Lebanon.
During a teleconference, a reporter raised concerns about the public perception of Biden's engagement with the presidency, questioning who is running the country and whether Biden has become a ceremonial figure. Kirby defended Biden's involvement, highlighting his recent conversations with world leaders like Prime Minister Modi and President Zelenskyy.
Kirby emphasized that despite being on vacation, Biden remains actively engaged in national security matters both domestically and internationally. Former President Trump participated in a wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery to honor the fallen service members, while Biden and Vice President Harris released separate statements listing the names of the 13 U.S. service members killed in the Abbey Gate bombing.
Relatives of the fallen service members have criticized Biden for not publicly stating their names and have condemned the administration's handling of the Afghanistan withdrawal. The Trump campaign also criticized Biden and Harris for not mentioning the names of the fallen Americans publicly and highlighted the chaotic nature of the withdrawal that left American citizens stranded and valuable equipment in the hands of the Taliban.
In their statements, Biden and Harris acknowledged the end of America's longest war, paying tribute to the thousands of U.S. service members who lost their lives and were wounded during the two-decade conflict.
