President Donald Trump on Monday signed a presidential proclamation naming 26 August 2025 a national day of remembrance for the 13 U.S. service members killed in the suicide bombing at Abbey Gate outside Kabul’s Hamid Karzai International Airport in 2021. The attack, carried out during the final phase of the U.S. evacuation from Afghanistan, also wounded roughly 45 other troops and more than 160 civilians. At an Oval Office ceremony attended by the victims’ Gold Star families, Trump said the bombing "should have never happened" and pledged the nation would "never forget" the fallen. The proclamation honors the 13 Marines, sailor and soldier by name and extends support to the injured and to all who served in the two-decade war. Vice President JD Vance called the proclamation a belated act of recognition for the families, while Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told reporters the Pentagon is expanding its review of the 2021 withdrawal, with findings expected by mid-2026. Trump said the review is intended to establish accountability and prevent similar losses in future operations. The document attributes the Kabul deaths to what it describes as a “reckless” evacuation strategy under then-President Joe Biden, and vows that U.S. service members “will never be so betrayed” again. Trump urged Americans to observe the new commemorative day by reflecting on the sacrifice of the Abbey Gate victims and all troops who have died in the line of duty.