Gold Star Mother Shana Chappell has invited former President Donald J. Trump to the funeral of her son, Lance Corporal Kareem Nikoui, after his death in August 26’s suicide bombing at the Kabul airport in Afghanistan.
“Thank you President Trump for your beautiful response to me. I would love if some how my President ( you Mr. Trump) could be present as I lay my Beautiful baby boy Lance Cpl. Kareem Nikoui to rest” Chappell wrote in a Facebook post on September 2. “It would be such an honor to meet the real President of the United States of America, President Trump. I love you and America loves you.”
The former President responded to the gold star mother in a statement using his Save America PAC. “Thank you Shana – our Country loves you and especially loves your beautiful boy, Kareem.” In the response, the President did not specify if he would be attending the fallen Marine’s funeral.
In an earlier Facebook post from August 30, Chappell slammed Biden for his behavior during the dignified transfer of her son’s remains at the Dover Air Force Base on August 29:
Joe Biden This msg is for you! I know my face is etched into your brain! I was able to look you straight in the eyes yesterday and have words with you. After i lay my son to rest you will be seeing me again! Remember i am the one who stood 5 inches from your face and was letting you know i would never get to hug my son again, hear his laugh and then you tried to interrupt me and give me your own sob story and i had to tell you “that this isn’t about you so don’t make it about you!!!” You then said you just wanted me to know that you know how i feel and i let you know that you don’t know how i feel and you do not have the right to tell me you know how i feel! U then rolled your fucking eyes in your head like you were annoyed with me and i let you know that the only reason i was talking to you was out of respect for my son and that was the only reason why, i then proceeded to tell you again how you took my son away from me and how i will never get to hug him, kiss him, laugh with him again etc… u turned to walk away and i let you know my sons blood was on your hands and you threw your hand up behind you as you walked away from me like you were saying “ ok whatever!!!
Later in the post, Chappell places the responsibility of the deaths of her son and the 12 other servicemembers at Biden’s feet:
MY SONS BLOOD IS ON YOUR HANDS!!! All 13 of them, their blood is on your hands!!!! If my president Trump was in his rightful seat then my son and the other Heros would still be alive!!!!
US President Joe Biden looks down alongside First Lady Jill Biden as they attend the dignified transfer of the remains of a fallen service member at Dover Air Force Base in Dover, Delaware, August, 29, 2021, one of the 13 members of the US military killed in Afghanistan last week. – President Joe Biden prepared Sunday at a US military base to receive the remains of the 13 American service members killed in an attack in Kabul, a solemn ritual that comes amid fierce criticism of his handling of the Afghanistan crisis. Biden and his wife, Jill, both wearing black and with black face masks, first met far from the cameras with relatives of the dead in a special family center at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware. The base, on the US East Coast about two hours from Washington, is synonymous with the painful return of service members who have fallen in combat. (Photo by SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)
In a response emailed to supporters, Trump echoed Chappel’s sentiments. “Shana, you are 100% correct,” the 45th President wrote. “If I were President, your wonderful and beautiful son Kareem would be with you now, and so would the sons and daughters of others, including all of those who died in the vicious Kabul airport attack. Civilians should have been brought out first, along with our $85 billion of equipment, with the Military coming out very safely after all was clear. I love you, and I love Kareem.”
Chappell’s Instagram account was shut down after posting a message similar to her Facebook post that ripped President Biden. Instagram’s parent company Facebook released a statement that Chappell’s account was “incorrectly deleted.” Chappell’s account has since been reactivated, and both her Facebook and Instagram remain active.
Late Lance Corporal Kareem Nikoui’s father Steve Nikoui also lambasted Biden in an interview with The Daily Beast:
They sent my son over there as a paper pusher and then had the Taliban outside providing security. I blame my own military leaders… Biden turned his back on him. That’s it.
The funeral for Lance Corporal Kareem Nikoui is set to take place on September 18.
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