Trump Signs Abbey Gate Attack Proclamation With Gold Star Families

President Donald Trump commemorated the fourth anniversary of the Abbey Gate attack in Afghanistan, where a suicide bombing killed 13 U.S. service members during the evacuation in 2021. Trump signed a proclamation honoring the fallen soldiers and criticized President Joe Biden's withdrawal strategy, asserting that it empowered the Taliban and led to the attack. Trump was joined by Gold Star families, Vice President JD Vance, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who announced an ongoing Pentagon investigation into the Afghanistan withdrawal. The proclamation emphasized a commitment to never forget the sacrifices made and highlighted the approximately 32 soldiers who were severely injured in the bombing. Vice President Vance and Trump both condemned the Biden administration's handling of the withdrawal, describing it as incompetent and a cause of the tragedy. The event served both to honor the victims and to spotlight the political and military consequences of the 2021 withdrawal.