The father of Marine Lance Cpl. Jared Schmitz, who was killed along with 12 other American service members during the ISIS-K attack on Abbey Gate in Afghanistan on Aug. 26, 2021, said the Democrats’ reaction, or lack thereof, to the news that one of the masterminds behind the attack had been arrested was “disturbing.”
President Donald Trump used his address to Congress Tuesday night to announce the March 2 arrest of Mohmmad Sharifullah, who the Justice Department said helped plan the ISIS-K suicide bombing at the Kabul airport as Afghans fled the Taliban takeover.
“This should not be a partisan issue whatsoever – the death of our kids,” Mark Schmitz told Fox News Digital.
Gold Star father Mark Schmitz is seeking to honor his son Jared’s memory through a foundation to house veterans known as “Freedom 13” in honor of the 13 KIA on Aug. 26, 2021. (Mark Schmitz)
The attack resulted in the death of 13 U.S. service members as well as some 170 Afghan civilians.
But the news of the arrest was not met with a resounding approval across the political aisle. As Schmitz pointed out, only roughly a third of Democrats applauded the news, and none appeared to join their Republican colleagues in a standing ovation.
“You would think that every single person in that place would be standing up and applauding and cheering,” Schmitz said.
The father of the fallen Marine said the sight was “incredibly insulting as a Gold Star family.”
“This has got nothing to do with politics,” Schmitz continued. “This is our military we’re talking about, and that needs to change.”
Several family members of those slain in the chaotic withdrawal of Afghanistan took issue with President Joe Biden’s failure to mention their children killed in the line of duty while speaking from the House Chamber during any of his three addresses to Congress following the attack.
“There was no communication from the onset,” Schmitz said, reflecting on the controversial moment when the Gold Star families met Biden at Dover Air Force Base when the service members’ bodies were returned from Afghanistan.
ISIS-K MEMBER CONFESSED TO SCOUTING ABBEY GATE ATTACK ROUTE, TRAINING MOSCOW ATTACKERS: AFFIDAVIT
President Donald Trump addresses a joint session of Congress at the U.S. Capitol on March 4, 2025. Democrats remained seated throughout the night as Republicans stood to applaud the president. (Sha Hanting/China News Service/VCG via Getty Images)
Biden was criticized for repeatedly checking his watch and many of the families expressed frustration with the lack of transparency that led to the chaotic withdrawal, and ultimately the death of their loved ones.
“Any time you can start to get a little bit of closure is always a good thing,” Schmitz said in reference to the most recent ISIS-K arrest. “And to find out that they got this guy is amazing. There’s many more that need to be looked at – certainly he’s not the only one.
“This is one down and many more to go, but very, very confident that we’re going to start seeing some answers,” he added.
Schmitz has chosen to honor his son and the 12 other Americans killed that day by starting a nonprofit aimed at creating “freedom camps” for veterans under a project known as “The Freedom 13.”
The goal is to develop a camp in every state, starting with Jared’s home state of Missouri, where veterans can retreat to for a safe space to heal from their time in the service or to simply be around other veterans.
A ceremony honoring the 13 service members killed in the suicide bombing at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Afghanistan is held in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda on Sept. 10, 2024. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
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Each camp will consist of at least 100 acres and 13 houses, signifying the 13 service members killed in the attack.
While Schmitz has said they will need more support to help them develop more camps for veterans, he believes that, under the Trump administration, families at least now “have allies in our corner.”
