President Biden and first lady Jill Biden made a surprise trip Thursday night to visit wounded troops at Walter Reed National Medical Center.
The visit was not on the president’s schedule and was only announced by the White House after he arrived at the Bethesda military hospital.
There are 15 Marines at the hospital who were wounded in a terrorist attack last month at the Kabul airport in Afghanistan. The attack, which occurred during the evacuations of Americans and Afghan allies out of the country, killed 13 U.S. troops and at least 170 Afghans.
Of the injured Marines, one is in critical condition, three were in serious condition and 11 were in stable condition, the military said.
On Sunday, Mr. Biden traveled to Dover, Delaware, to attend the transfer of the remains of the U.S. troops killed in the attack. He also met privately with family members.
The U.S. military mission in Afghanistan officially ended Monday as the final U.S. troops left the country, ending a 20-year war that resulted in the deaths of thousands.
Mr. Biden praised the military effort during a speech to the nation earlier this week.
“The men and women of the United States military, our diplomatic corps, and intelligence professionals did their job and did it well, risking their lives, not for professional gains but to serve others, not in a mission of war but in a mission of mercy,” Mr. Biden said. “Twenty service members were wounded in the service of this mission. Thirteen heroes gave their lives.”