“Meet the Press” issued a correction regarding host Kristen Welker’s conversation with Republican Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton about 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 dignified transfer of remains at Dover Air Force Base on Aug. 29, 2021. In fact, 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.
“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,” Cotton concluded.
However, Meet the Press later corrected the liberal host, stating that Harris was never at the airport to welcome the remains of the falling soldiers.
“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.
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
According to his Senate website, Sen. Tom Cotton previously served with the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, also known as The Old Guard, at Arlington National Cemetery. In addition, Cotton served in Iraq with the 101st Airborne Division in 2006 and in Afghanistan from 2008 to 2009.