"The Operator" podcast host Rob O'Neill told Newsmax Friday that President Joe Biden presented some very "bad optics" while marking the anniversary of the Afghanistan terrorist attack that killed 13 service members Friday.
"I don't have any doubt that President Joe Biden seriously mourns the loss of our soldiers. It is just like I said before: the optics are horrible, and this administration is trying to be really good at 'If you can't see it, it ain't there and that's all,'" O'Neill, the former SEAL and Team 6 member who shot and killed Osama bin Laden, said during "Prime News" Friday.
"They're doing that. It's bad. They're going to make it go away, and we'll be talking about the Kardashians in no time."
Biden issued a statement marking the solemn anniversary Monday.
"One year ago, 13 proud and patriotic American service members, as well as more than 100 innocent Afghan civilians, were killed in a heinous terrorist attack at Abbey Gate outside the Kabul Airport. Many more were injured and will carry the impact of their wounds and experiences for the rest of their lives," the statement said.
"Today, I am praying for the families of those 13 fallen warriors, who lost a piece of their soul one year ago. Our nation can never repay such incredible sacrifice — but we will never fail to honor our sacred obligation to the families and survivors they left behind."
Later in the day, however, Biden videotaped a segment for "Jay Leno's Garage," drawing the ire of one of the fallen soldier's parents.
"He is tone deaf and insensitive," Darin Hoover, parent of fallen U.S. Marine Taylor Hoover, told the Daily Mail about Biden taping an interview on the anniversary of his son's death at the airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, last year. "It's ridiculous."
O'Neill called the deaths "predictable and preventable" had others been in charge of the Afghanistan withdrawal last year that led to the attack.
"There was no reason for it," O'Neill said. "[Biden] said that there was no way out. Yes, there was a way out. You have Bagram Airfield that's basically a land-based aircraft carrier. You can crush anybody you want anytime you want."
O'Neill said the deadly withdrawal was done purely for political purposes, so it would coincide with the 20th anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on America.
"It was all done for political decisions made by people who don't know what they're talking about, so they could celebrate the 20th anniversary of 9/11 with just saying everyone's home now, we won, and just take their ball and leave," he said. "It's nonsense. It's terrible."
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