(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) White House National Security Council communications adviser John Kirby said that addressing veterans’ concerns about the botched Afghanistan withdrawal was of “no use” in a reply-all faux pas.
The blunder occurred on Wednesday, the 23rd anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, when Fox News sought comments from the White House regarding criticism related to Afghanistan.
Instead of responding solely to the White House aides who had forwarded him the email, Kirby mistakenly included everyone on the email chain, including the Fox News reporter.
“Obviously no use in responding. A ‘handful’ of vets indeed and all of one stripe,” Kirby dismissively replied in his email. The term “one stripe” appeared to belittle the veterans by mocking their years of service.
After realizing the error, Kirby sent a follow-up email to the Fox News reporter: “Clearly, I didn’t realize you were on the chain.”
Kirby’s comments ignited widespread backlash on social media, with many demanding his immediate resignation or firing.
“In an administration with someone in charge, his resignation would be on the desk tomorrow,” commented podcast host Stephen L. Miller.
In an administration with someone in charge, his resignation would be on the desk tomorrow. https://t.co/PUv2YlZqF6
— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) September 11, 2024
“John Kirby is a bad guy and is also just plain bad at his job,” said Kabul author and journalist Jerry Dunleavy IV.
John Kirby is a bad guy and is also just plain bad at his job.https://t.co/sTeVfhwBxI pic.twitter.com/POjY9xotdG
— Jerry Dunleavy IV 🇺🇸 (@JerryDunleavy) September 11, 2024
Other critics sounded the alarm about what other disparaging comments the White House might have privately said about veterans.
This Kirby scandal follows the release of a House Foreign Affairs Committee report two days prior. The comprehensive and damning report exposes the deadly errors by the Biden-Harris administration in the Afghanistan withdrawal.
On Aug. 26, 2021, an ISIS-K suicide bomber killed 13 U.S. servicemen as the Taliban seized Kabul, while the U.S. struggled to evacuate.
These deaths have long been attributed to both Biden and Harris for ignoring the signs and intelligence of an impending fall of Kabul. Roughly 1,000 Americans, $7 billion in U.S. weaponry and $57 million in cash were left behind.
Kirby rebuked the report as showing “little or nothing new,” and without clear evidence argued that Biden had no choice but to withdraw from Afghanistan to avoid extending the war.
Straight gaslighting from Biden-Harris White House official John Kirby, arguing it's President Trump who should be blamed for the Afghanistan withdrawal in August 2021, which resulted in the deaths of 13 American soldiers. pic.twitter.com/fPIFMa6OzV
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) September 9, 2024
This deflection prompted veterans to criticize Kirby, leading to Fox News seeking his comment and Kirby committing his reply-all blunder.
“The bottom line is that the Biden-Harris administration chose politics over strategy, and Kirby, who I wouldn’t trust to guard my grocery list, is now trying to cover for them,” Army veteran and Rep. Cory Mills, R-Fla., told Fox News.
