President Joe Biden continues facing criticism after a video emerged on social media on Sunday of him looking at his watch during a dignified transfer ceremony of Marines slain in Afghanistan by twin suicide bombers.
The event occurred about 40 minutes into the ceremony at Dover Air Force base after the flag-draped transfer cases were transported into vans, according to a review of C-SPAN footage of the event.
Biden stood masked with First Lady Jill Biden and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and other members of the military as the ceremony continued.
The president jerked up his arm and pulled back his sleeve while pivoting his wrist slightly to glance at this watch before letting his arm drop.
Video of the moment isolated and posted by Turning Point USA Chief Creative Officers Benny Johnson on Twitter Sunday afternoon spread quickly earning over 500,000 views by Monday morning.
Biden appears to check his watch during the dignified transfer ceremony at Dover Air Force Base. pic.twitter.com/oMsBefnmfS
— Benny (@bennyjohnson) August 29, 2021
The president looked at his watch after the doors of the vans carrying the transfer cases were closed and pulled away from the runway, but apparently before the ceremony was officially concluded.
Agence France-Presse photographer Saul Loeb captured an image of the moment for news outlets around the world.
The list of the fallen:
• Sgt. Johanny Rosario Pichardo, 25, of Lawrence, Massachusetts, assigned to 5th Marine Expeditionary Brigade, Naval Support Activity Bahrain.
•Sgt. Nicole L. Gee, 23, of Sacramento, California, assigned to Combat Logistics Battalion 24, 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.
• Staff Sgt. Darin T. Hoover, 31, of Salt Lake City, Utah.
• Cpl. Hunter Lopez, 22, of Indio, California, a rifleman.
• Cpl. Daegan W. Page, 23, of Omaha, Nebraska, a rifleman.
• Cpl. Humberto A. Sanchez, 22, of Logansport, Indiana, a rifleman.
• Lance Cpl. David L. Espinoza, 20, of Rio Bravo, Texas, a rifleman.
• Lance Cpl. Jared M. Schmitz, 20, of St. Charles, Missouri, a rifleman.
• Lance Cpl. Rylee J. McCollum, 20, of Jackson, Wyoming, a rifleman.
• Lance Cpl. Dylan R. Merola, 20, of Rancho Cucamonga, California, a rifleman.
• Lance Cpl. Kareem M. Nikoui, 20, of Norco, California.
• Navy Corpsman Maxton W. Soviak, 22, of Berlin Heights, Ohio, assigned to 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, Camp Pendleton, California.
• Staff Sgt. Ryan C. Knauss, 23, of Corryton, Tennessee. Knauss was assigned to 9th PSYOP Battalion, 8th PSYOP Group, Ft. Bragg, North Carolina.
