“Meet the Press” corrected an exchange between host Kristen Welker and Republican Sen. Tim Cotton of Arkansas on Sunday as they debated President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump's response to the 13 U.S. soldiers who were killed during the withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Welker The article erroneously stated that both President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris attended the dignified removal of the remains at Dover Air Force Base on August 29, 2021. Vice President Harris did not attend the ceremony.
“Guess who the family invited? Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. Where were they? Joe Biden was sitting on the beach. Kamala Harris was sitting in her residence in Washington, D.C. She was four miles, 10 minutes away. She could have gone to the cemetery and honored the sacrifice of those young men and women, but she didn't. She never spoke to them or met with them,” Senator Cotton said. (Related: Exclusive: 'Deeply Saddened': Republican veterans slam 'failure' of Afghanistan withdrawal in Trump ad)
“Well, they met with them during their dignified transport,” Welker interjected. “They were with them during their dignified transport.
“Her and Joe Biden's incompetence has resulted in 13 Americans being killed in Afghanistan,” Senator Cotton concluded.
“This morning's broadcast incorrectly reported that both President Biden and Vice President Harris attended the dignified transfer of 13 U.S. troops killed during the withdrawal from Afghanistan. President Biden was in attendance, but VP Harris was not,” Meet the Press reported. Posts On X (formerly Twitter).
This morning's broadcast erroneously reported that both President Biden and Vice President Harris attended the dignified transfer of 13 American service members who died during the withdrawal from Afghanistan. Biden was in attendance, but Harris was not.
— Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) September 1, 2024
Cotton previously served with the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, known as the Old Guard at Arlington National Cemetery. According to See the Senate website. He also deployed with the 101st Airborne Division to Iraq in 2006 and to Afghanistan from 2008 to 2009.
