Joe Biden has come under fire after he appeared to check the time on his watch during a ceremony for the 13 US service members who lost their lives in last week's ISIS-K terror attack in Kabul.
As reported by CNN, the dignified transfer ceremony, which took place at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware, honored the 13 troops as their caskets were brought back to the US from Afghanistan on Sunday, August 29.
At one point, Biden, his wife Jill, and others present at the ceremony placed their right hands on their chests. The 78-year-old president, however, then appeared to look down at his watch as several flag-draped coffins were carried off a C-17 Globemaster plane.
This is the moment Biden appears to glance at his watch during the ceremony:A number of critics - ranging from lawmakers to conservative commentators to veterans - have since taken to social media to slam the Democratic leader for the alleged gesture.
A disabled US Army veteran by the name of Samuel Williams tweeted: "Looks like he was being inconvenienced by having to show some respect for these American Heros. [sic]"
Columnist Nicholas Fondacaro shared: "It’s true. Joe Biden checked his watch during the dignified transfer of the servicemembers killing in Afghanistan at the airport.
"You can see him jerk his left hand to pull the watch out from under his sleeve, then look down at it."
Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee tweeted: "Many of us remember Pres Bush 41 checking his watch during a debate and how awful it looked (even though we all felt same way about that debate.) But this is shocking and will be remembered."
Foreign policy analyst and former aide to the late ex-UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, Nile Gardiner wrote: "There is nothing more important than paying your respects to America's fallen war heroes, Mr. President."
Finally, former White House doctor Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-Texas) tweeted: "Apparently our Commander-in-Chief has better things to do than honor the 13 service members who died on his watch?"
He added: "I’m DISGUSTED! God bless these heroes and their loved ones. They deserved better."
The 13 US service members who were killed in explosions outside Kabul airport on Thursday, August 26, had been helping evacuate US citizens as well as Afghan refugees after the Taliban's swift takeover of Afghanistan.
Per AP News, 11 of the fallen troops were Marines, one was a Navy corpsman and another was an Army soldier.
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