“Meet the Press” issued a correction of host Kristen Welker’s exchange with Republican Arkansas Sen. Tim Cotton as they discussed Sunday how President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump responded to the deaths of 13 American service members during the Afghanistan withdrawal.
Welker incorrectly stated that both President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris attended the Aug. 29, 2021 dignified transfer of remains at Dover Air Force Base. Vice President Harris did not attend the event.
“You know who the families also invited? Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. Where were they? Joe Biden was sitting at a beach. Kamala Harris was sitting at her mansion in Washington, D.C. She was four miles away — ten minutes. She could have gone to the cemetery and honored the sacrifice of those young men and women, but she hasn’t. She never has spoken to them or taken a meeting with them,” Sen. Cotton said. (RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: ‘Grief Is Deep’: GOP Veterans Slam ‘Failures’ Of Deadly Afghanistan Withdrawal In Trump Ad)
“Well, they did meet with them during the dignified transfer,” Welker cut in. “They were with them at the dignified transfer.
“It’s because of her and Joe Biden’s incompetence that those 13 Americans were killed in Afghanistan,” Sen. Cotton finished.
“On our broadcast this morning, we incorrectly implied that both President Biden and Vice President Harris attended the dignified transfer of 13 American service members killed during the Afghanistan withdrawal. Biden was in attendance but Harris was not,” Meet the Press posted on X (formerly known as Twitter).
On our broadcast this morning, we incorrectly implied that both President Biden and Vice President Harris attended the dignified transfer of 13 American service members killed during the Afghanistan withdrawal. 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 his Senate website. He also served in Iraq with the 101st Airborne in 2006 and in Afghanistan from 2008 to 2009.
