Jen Psaki, the MSNBC host, has drawn criticism from Gold Star families for her insensitive comments regarding President Biden’s watch-checking during a solemn ceremony honoring U.S. service members who lost their lives in the Afghanistan withdrawal in 2021.
During an interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity on Monday, Darin Hoover, the father of the late SSgt. Darin Taylor Hoover who lost his life in the Kabul airport bombing, shared his thoughts.
Hoover said, “Jen ‘Circle Back’ Psaki is just a vile, shameless human being,”
He added, “[She’s] trying to make money off of our kids’ backs and rewrite history and establish those lies for the Biden administration on their failures, their catastrophic failures. It’s been nothing but lies all along.”
Psaki, who was the White House press secretary before Karine Jean-Pierre, attracted attention with her statement in her new book, “Say More,” where she claimed that Biden never glanced at his watch during the ceremony honoring the fallen heroes.
However, a report by Axios contradicted Psaki’s account, citing pictures and firsthand testimonies from Gold Star families.
In response to the online criticism, Psaki informed Axios that the specific details about the number of times Biden checked his watch would be removed from future editions and the eBook.
The original version of Psaki’s book stated that “the president only looked at his watch after the ceremony concluded,” with Psaki defending Biden against claims of insensitivity by his critics.
Nonetheless, Gold Star families have consistently stated that they witnessed Biden checking his watch multiple times during the dignified transfer ceremony.
Steve Nikoui, a Gold Star father and the father of Marine Lance Corporal Kareem Nikoui, also shared his perspective on Hannity’s show on Monday.
“It’s devastating, but it’s not really surprising from this administration and from the people that have worked in it,” he said.
“[The Biden administration] continue[s] to lie to, manipulate facts and change the narrative to support their narratives and to try to change the history, regardless of what mishaps they’ve done.”
Nikoui made headlines for shouting at Biden during the State of the Union address this year.
This action initially raised concerns about potential legal consequences for disrupting Congress, but D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb ultimately chose not to pursue charges.
Rep. Darrell Issa, a Republican from California, participated in the discussion with the Gold Star fathers on Hannity’s show.
Issa remarked that Psaki’s controversy served as a reminder to Americans of the failed withdrawal that resulted in military and diplomatic setbacks for the U.S.
“We’re still trying to get some of our SIVs out of Afghanistan. We’re still trying to get justice for the Gold Star families. All of that three and a half years into this administration,” he said.
The discussion continued on Tuesday morning as Gold Star father Mark Schmitz appeared on “Fox & Friends” to share his thoughts.
“The wounds had been reopened yet again by this talking puppet who had no idea what she was talking about,” he said of Psaki.
Schmitz, who attended the ceremony honoring the 13 fallen U.S. service members in 2021, stated that he personally observed Biden looking at his watch as the first four caskets were unloaded from the aircraft.
“I couldn’t look at him after that,” he explained.
Schmitz criticized the new book as being “politically motivated” and written with the intention of financial profit.
He further urged MSNBC and Simon & Schuster, the publisher of the book, to pressure Psaki to step down due to the watch-checking allegation. Additionally, he mentioned his intention to consult with a lawyer regarding “taking this to the next level.”
