On August 26, 2025, a somber mood fell over Washington as lawmakers, veterans, and families gathered to mark the fourth anniversary of the Abbey Gate bombing in Kabul—a tragic event that claimed the lives of 13 U.S. service members and left dozens more wounded during the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan. The anniversary was more than a date on the calendar; it was a day of remembrance, reflection, and, for many, renewed calls for accountability and a reassessment of American foreign policy.
The House Republican Conference led the commemorations, releasing a tribute video filled with powerful testimony from military veterans now serving in Congress. Many of these lawmakers had seen Afghanistan firsthand, some having lost friends or comrades in the two-decade conflict. Representative Don Bacon (NE-02), a retired Brigadier General who served nearly 30 years in the Air Force, spoke with palpable emotion. "I served nearly thirty years in the Air Force. I had multiple deployments in the Middle East. And one of the things that changed my life was 9/11," Bacon recalled, referencing the attacks that set the stage for America’s longest war. "In Afghanistan we lost 2,459 Americans over the course of those two decades. But President Biden made a terrible decision four years ago to withdraw our forces the way he did. Our military recommended against his withdrawal plans and he overruled them. His withdrawal cost us two decades of investment in Afghanistan and it ended up costing 13 more lives when that bomber attacked our forces that were trying to save lives at the airport in Kabul."
Bacon’s words echoed the anger and grief felt by many in the room. He singled out Daegan Page, one of the 13 Americans killed in the Abbey Gate attack and a native of Omaha. "I've gotten to meet his family. We love his family and our sympathies still go with them. But also the other 12 families that lost their sons and daughters or spouses."
Other House veterans added their voices. Congressman Tom Barrett (MI-07), who spent 22 years in the Army, stressed, "Today, we want to commemorate their sacrifice, their lives were not lost in vain, and we owe it to them to make America a better country for future generations." Congressman Andrew Clyde (GA-09), a Navy veteran of 28 years, was blunt: "This is what we get when we have weak and feckless leadership at the top." Troy Downing (MT-02) remembered the honor of serving after 9/11 and the burden borne by military families: "There's not a higher honor. There's no greater service than to lay down your life for another."
For some, the pain was deeply personal. Congressman Derrick Van Orden (WI-03), the longest-serving enlisted member ever elected to Congress, recounted the loss of David Tapper in 2003. "I was in the hospital when he was dying. I was holding his hand, and we had a cell phone–sat phone–next to his ear, and he could hear his wife crying out to God because she knew she'd never see her husband alive again."
Beyond Congress, veterans who risked their lives in the final days of the Kabul evacuation also shared their stories. Dennis Price, a special operations veteran and founder of "Heroes for Humanity," worked to rescue civilians as the Taliban seized control. Price’s group managed to get a dual-citizen family out of Kandahar and through Abbey Gate a mere 45 minutes before the deadly explosion. "Truly, by the grace of God," Price said, reflecting on the razor-thin margin between life and death.
Price’s efforts were part of a broader, largely volunteer-driven response by American veterans. Retired Force Recon Marine Chad Robichaux led what he described as the largest civilian rescue operation—over 17,000 people evacuated in just 10 days. He and Price made perilous crossings of the Panjshir River, dodging Taliban checkpoints to reach stranded interpreters. "It changed my life," Price said. "Systems failed, but people helping people is humanity’s greatest gift." Robichaux, for his part, said the memories of those left behind "weigh heavy" on him, despite the lives saved.
Retired Marine Mark "Oz" Geist, known for surviving the 2012 Benghazi siege, organized a mission that chartered a jet to bring 100 Americans and legal noncitizens—including 59 children—to safety. "We saw 13 of our own give their lives, and hundreds of Afghans were left behind in chaos. I carry the faces of the Afghan women we were able to rescue, and I carry the faces of those we couldn’t," Geist told Fox News. "The withdrawal wasn’t just a moment – it was a wound. But anniversaries like this remind us that sacrifice demands remembrance, and remembrance demands action. We owe it to those who fell, and to those still living in the shadow of tyranny, to never look away, never forget, and never stop fighting for freedom." Geist also expressed faith in Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to continue investigating the Pentagon’s failings during the withdrawal.
Jason Redman, a retired Navy SEAL, described "Task Force Pineapple," a civilian network inspired by the abolition-era Underground Railroad. The group, led by retired Green Beret Scott Mann, used visual passwords on phones to move hundreds of Afghan interpreters and families through Taliban-controlled territory. "This Herculean effort was performed by all volunteers, primarily special operations veterans, intelligence analysts, and government civilians," Redman said, criticizing the Biden State Department as "totally useless" and noting that Pineapple’s work was only marginally aided by the Pentagon.
Meanwhile, Rep. Cory Mills (R-Fla.), drawing on his experience as a defense contractor, organized his own rescue missions with the help of Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-Texas) and Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.). Mills was candid about the hurdles: "I saw firsthand the failures of weak leadership that ignored critical intelligence and abandoned our people," he told Fox News Digital. Mills praised President Trump and Defense Secretary Hegseth’s efforts to investigate the Abbey Gate tragedy, calling it "an important part of rebuilding America’s strength on the world stage."
Throughout the day, the theme of "peace through strength" recurred, with House Republican Conference Chairwoman Lisa McClain declaring, "House Republicans will continue supporting President Trump’s peace through strength agenda–one that will secure lasting peace and honors those who have worn the uniform to defend our nation." Veterans in Congress and beyond emphasized that the chaos and loss of the withdrawal were preventable, pointing to what they saw as weak leadership and poor planning at the highest levels.
While many voices at the anniversary were critical of the Biden administration’s handling of the withdrawal, they also paid tribute to the heroism and sacrifice of those who served—and especially those who fell. The day’s events were a stark reminder that, for America’s veterans and the families of the fallen, the wounds of Abbey Gate are still fresh, and the questions about how it happened remain urgent.
As the country continues to grapple with the legacy of its longest war, the stories shared on this anniversary highlight both the cost of conflict and the enduring commitment of those who serve, even when official systems falter.
