President Joe Biden's chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan was marred by tragedy when a suicide bomber killed 13 American service personnel at Kabul's airport.

This week saw the family members of those victims turn on Biden and give support to President-elect Donald Trump's nominee for secretary of Defense. 

Letter recalls "the sacrifice that our children made on that fateful day"

According to Fox News, that move came in the form of a letter sent by the Abbey Gate Coalition which urged senators to confirm Pete Hegseth.

"We have been sitting by watching the current administration do nothing but attempt to take victory laps and thumb their noses at the sacrifice that our children made on that fateful day," the letter stated.

"They have had no interest in giving us any of those answers that we seek, and have attempted to put Afghanistan in the rear view mirror as was further evidenced yesterday in President Biden's final address on his foreign affairs and his supposed successes," it continued.

The group, which is composed of parents and others who are related to the 13 dead Americans, went on to complain that its members have been denied access to information.

Family members say "that there has been a complete coverup"

"We have been stonewalled at every turn and only given ‘bread-crumbs’ to attempt to make us just go away!" the organization alleged.

"We feel that there has been a complete coverup at the Department of Defense with the current Secretary of Defense leading the way," it stressed.

The letter went on to maintain that by nominating Hegseth, lawmakers can bring some measure of accountability for what happened to their loved ones.

"We ask that you please hear our words and feel the pain that we do, knowing that it was avoidable in respect to what happened to our children," it added.

Hegseth blames botched withdrawal for wars in Ukraine and Israel

For his part, Hegseth has long been critical of Biden's handling of Afghanistan, with the Jerusalem Post reporting that he addressed the issue on Tuesday while speaking with senators.

Pete Hegseth said that the October 7 attacks in Israel were the direct result of President Biden’s 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan.https://t.co/fpw5uHnG9e

— The Jerusalem Post (@Jerusalem_Post) January 15, 2025

Specifically, Hegseth argued that the debacle in Kabul contributed both to Russia's invasion of Ukraine as well as Hamas' attack on Israel, saying, "The world recognized weakness for what it was."