Gold Star mother Kelly Barnett expressed deep gratitude towards former President Donald Trump for his ongoing support to families like hers affected by the Afghanistan withdrawal.
Breitbart reported that Barnett, who tragically lost her son, Taylor Hoover, during the chaotic withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan, recently spoke out on Fox News Channel’s “America’s Newsroom.”
During her conversation with host Bill Hemmer, Barnett opened up about the continued grief and lack of acknowledgment faced by families of the fallen.
Taylor Hoover's death has left an indelible mark on his family, who like many others, felt sidelined in the years following the withdrawal.
Barnett’s appearance on national television was not just to share her pain but also to explain the release of certain videos that broadcasted their call for recognition and support.
It's been three years since the withdrawal, and according to Barnett, this period has been marked by a profound sense of disrespect and neglect from various quarters.
“Because we are so tired. We’ve been disrespected so much in the last three years. It has been three years. No response from them, no I’m sorry, no we stand with you, we know it was a mistake. We know it was done wrong. We know mistakes happen and this wasn’t supposed to be a war but it turned out to be," Barnett described during her interview.
The act of releasing the videos over the weekend was a critical step for the families, aimed at both seeking solidarity and expressing their unresolved grief.
Barnett detailed how these videos served as direct communication to those who might have forgotten them, hoping to reignite a conversation about accountability and support.
It was former President Donald Trump's supportive gestures during this difficult time that Barnett specifically highlighted. “He has been there for us. He has been our rock. He carried grief with us, gave us a little bit of peace and happiness on that day and all the families,” she noted about Trump’s role in helping them cope with the immense loss.
The support received from Trump seemed to starkly contrast with their treatment from others, which Barnett emphasized as lacking. Through her statements, it was clear that Trump's involvement was not merely about his physical presence but more about his empathetic engagement with their emotional states.
“The affection and support Trump showed us brought a bit of peace in our ongoing grief,” Barnett explained further, shedding light on the specific interactions that had a comforting impact on the families involved.
Despite Trump’s support, Barnett voiced frustrations about the broader situation, noting how perceptions of political bias appeared to interfere with public sympathy toward their cause.
“We had to do this because he has been there for us and it makes no sense that they throw daggers at us or him except for the fact they weren’t there and they felt ashamed or angry that he was with us,” she argued.
This statement encapsulates the mixed reactions from the public and various quarters, highlighting a divide that goes beyond mere politics, touching deeply on issues of military sacrifice and the treatment of its consequential grief.
Throughout the interview, Barnett was firm in her stance that the actions taken and the public declarations made were out of a necessity born from years of feeling invisible and unheard.
The discussion on Fox News not only provided Barnett a platform to voice her and many others’ unresolved pain but also brought to light the significant emotional and psychological toll such incidents carry.
The acknowledgment from a figure such as Donald Trump was portrayed as a crucial element of their healing process, highlighting the need for more consistent and empathetic engagements from all societal quarters.
In final thoughts, Kelly Barnett’s candid discussion serves as a poignant reminder of the ongoing struggles faced by families of the fallen military personnel. Her heartfelt acknowledgment of support from certain individuals starkly contrasts with her feelings of neglect, painting a complex picture of grief management in the public sphere.