In a message she shared with former President Donald Trump, the Gold Star mother of a U.S. Marine killed in Afghanistan two weeks ago, slammed President Joe Biden, said her son “was murdered for Biden optics” and called on Trump to run for office once again.
Kathy McCollum, the mother of Lance Cpl. Rylee McCollum, wrote, “We need the corrupt pseudo president gone. President Trump has to run. My son should not be gone. President Trump would never allowed this to happen.”
Rylee McCollum was one of 13 U.S. service members killed in an ISIS suicide bombing attack on August 26 in Kabul, Afghanistan. The attack took place during the final days of U.S. military-led evacuation efforts out of Afghanistan.
“We need [Trump] back in office to save this country,” McCollum’s message continued. “Just like he said years ago on Oprah. He would run when our country needed him. We need him. I can’t live with knowing my son’s life was taken for nothing. So Biden could repay his debt to China. They will now have full control of Afghanistan and my son will be a sacrificial lamb. My son was murdered for Biden optics.”
McCollum went on to reference a pair of controversies after some of the slain U.S. troops were returned home, including Biden appearing to check his watch during a dignified transfer ceremony and lawmakers, led by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, blocking a reading of the names of the 13 slain U.S. service members.
“I will become more vocal soon. Grieving and not sure I can control my mouth,” McCollum wrote. “But watched Biden disrespect my son while I was standing across from him and he was checking his watch, and then Pelosi denying my son recognition and turning her back. Just as she tore up Donald’s speech. We cannot give up our country. So even if no one gets back with me. I will always fight for the Trump administration just as my son did.”
Responding to McCollum’s message, Trump wrote in an emailed statement, “Thank you, Kathy. America feels your loss and fully understands your pain. Rylee will never be forgotten.”
McCollum is not the only parent of a service member killed in the Kabul attack to criticize Biden.
The fathers of two other Marines who were killed also criticized Biden for checking his watch during the dignified transfer ceremony and for talking more about the death of his own son Beau Biden, due to cancer, than about the service members killed in the Kabul terrorist attack.
Shanal Chappell, the mother of another slain Marine, also criticized Biden on social media, writing in one post, “Biden did all this on purpose! You can not possibly do shit this stupid and it be by accident.” Facebook momentarily deleted Chappell’s accounts, though the social media platform later reversed that decision. In a subsequent September 2, Facebook post, Chappell invited Trump to attend her son’s funeral.
