Sean Parnell Honors Service Members Killed on Abbey Gate Anniversary, Makes Shocking Revelation

It is the anniversary of the Abbey Gate bombing, and the Trump administration took special notice to remember the American service members who were killed during that attack. 

Five years ago today, 13 American service members were killed at Abbey Gate in Afghanistan. It was one of the darkest days in the history of our country — and it happened because of weak American leadership. 

We will NEVER FORGET these heroes. 

Sgt. Johanny Rosario Pichardo 

Sgt. Nicole L. Gee 

Staff Sgt. Darin T. Hoover 

Cpl. Hunter Lopez 

Cpl. Daegan W. Page 

Cpl. Humberto A. Sanchez 

Lance Cpl. David L. Espinoza 

Lance Cpl. Jared M. Schmitz 

Lance Cpl. Rylee J. McCollum 

Lance Cpl. Dylan R. Merola Lance 

Cpl. Kareem M. Nikoui 

Corpsman Maxton Soviak

 Staff Sgt. Ryan C. Knauss

The featured picture is Sgt. Nicole Gee. 

I wrote something about each of them five years ago, so we could remember some of what they brought to the world. 

READ MORE: Never Forget: 13 Members of the Military Who Gave That Last Full Measure of Devotion

Chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell addressed the anniversary. 

An update from Sean Parnell, Chairman of the Afghanistan Withdrawal Special Review Panel, on the Fifth Anniversary of the Abbey Gate bombing pic.twitter.com/5pkbmuuyX0

— Sean Parnell (@SeanParnellASW) August 26, 2026

"What you did there mattered. The way it ended does not erase what you gave," Parnell said, recognizing the 13, and those who had served over the many years. 

Parnell honored them as "the ones who ran toward the danger." 

Parnell is also the Chairman of the Afghanistan Withdrawal Special Review Panel. He made a shocking revelation. He explained they had recently found "highly relevant classified documents, material that should have been disclosed, stashed and hidden away in safes where they would not be found." 

After the documents were reviewed, Parnell said, "It became clear why someone had tried to hide them."

He did not go further on the details of what the documents said, but asserted the families were owed the full picture of what happened, and they were going to give it to them.