Abbey Gate and the Afghanistan Debacle, Five Years Later

Exactly five years ago, on Aug. 26, 2021, the utter catastrophe that was the Biden administration’s Afghanistan debacle exploded with the Kabul airport bombing that left 13 Americans and over 150 Afghans dead. There has yet to be any accountability for Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, and their military leadership for this deadly failure, aside from the 2024 election loss, but the blood is absolutely on their hands.

The Afghanistan withdrawal included the Biden administration abandoning over $7 billion worth of military equipment and weaponry, handing Taliban officials what became a “kill list” with details on our allies in Afghanistan, and beginning the ongoing money conduit of millions of dollars in funding to the Taliban-controlled country. The Biden administration even killed multiple children in a disastrous counterstrike. I think the Trump administration could do no better on this anniversary than to cut off all of our taxpayer funding to Afghanistan, where, no matter how much we say the Taliban can’t access it, everything is controlled by terrorists.

As our Nation marks five years since the attack at Abbey Gate, we honor the memory of the thirteen service members who made the ultimate sacrifice.

Their memory will forever live in the heart of a grateful nation. pic.twitter.com/UH1XoDBTO9
— Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) August 26, 2026

The names of the 11 Marines, one soldier, and one sailor who died in the suicide bombing were Darin T. Hoover, Johanny Rosario Pichardo, Nicole L. Gee, Hunter Lopez, Daegan W. Page, Humberto A. Sanchez, David L. Espinoza, Jared M. Schmitz, Rylee J. McCollum, Dylan R. Merola, Kareem M. Nikoui, Maxton W. Soviak, and Ryan C. Knauss.

The Trump administration later arrested one suspect in the bombing, although it has not fired all of the U.S. officials involved in the disastrous withdrawal. That could be because the Department of War is still investigating the withdrawal and provided an update on the five-year anniversary.

Senior Advisor to the Secretary of War Sean Parnell announced Wednesday that his team has uncovered new information, which it is reviewing. “Recently, my team recovered highly relevant classified documents — material that should have been disclosed — stashed and hidden away in safes where they would not be found," Parnell said, adding that their content made "it … clear why someone tried to hide them." He did not, however, provide any details about that content, as the documents are still classified. He promised that more information would become available.

Justice must come, even if it is late. In April, the Department of Justice secured a federal jury conviction of an individual who was involved in the ISIS-K conspiracy to commit the deadly bombing. While Abdul Rahman al-Logari detonated his suicide bomb, killing himself and the victims at Abbey Gate, he did so only after Mohammad Sharifullah conducted surveillance of the area and confirmed there were no Taliban checkpoints. Sharifullah had already participated in multiple terrorist attacks in the past decade.

We must never forget the victims of Abbey Gate, and we should honor their memory by eliminating terrorist entities quickly, efficiently, and decisively, so wars don't drag on and end in an ignominious and deadly withdrawal.

Editor's Note: President Trump is fighting to renew America this 250th birthday year.

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