Air Force grants military funeral honors for Ashli Babbitt after family’s request

The United States Air Force is reversing a Biden-era decision, and will now heed the request of Ashli Babbitt’s family, who called for a military funeral with honors for the Air Force veteran, according to a letter released by Judicial Watch, a conservative legal organization, on Wednesday. — Image credit: AP Photo/Andrew Harnik

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Summary

Decision

The United States Air Force reversed a Biden administration decision to deny Ashli Babbitt, a veteran killed during the Jan. 6 Capitol riots, from receiving a special military funeral.

Statement

In a statement, an Air Force spokesperson for the Trump administration called the initial decision “cruel” and extended an invite to the Pentagon to Babbitt’s mother and husband.

Previous denial

The Biden administration initially rejected the family’s request, citing “the circumstances preceding” Babbitt’s death.

Full story

The United States Air Force is reversing a Biden-era decision and will now heed the request of Ashli Babbitt’s family, who called for a military funeral with honors for the Air Force veteran, according to a letter released by Judicial Watch, a conservative legal organization, on Wednesday. Babbitt was part of the group that broke into the United States Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and was subsequently shot and killed by law enforcement.

Letter to Babbitt’s family

The letter from Under Secretary of the Air Force Matthew Lohmeier states that the military branch will allow for a military funeral service that includes a special ceremony and presentation of the American flag.

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Additionally, Lohmeier invited Babitt’s mother and her husband to meet him at the Pentagon so that he can offer his condolences in person.

“I understand that the family’s initial request was denied by Air Force leadership in a letter dated February 9, 2021,” Lohmeier wrote in the Aug. 15 letter. “However, after reviewing the circumstances of Ashli’s death and considering the information that has come forward since then, I am persuaded that the previous determination was incorrect.”

Babbitt was shot and killed by authorities as she tried to climb through barricaded doors in the Capitol.

Initial denial

Following the Capitol riots, Air Force Lt. Gen. Brian Kelly, a spokesperson for the military branch under former President Joe Biden, denied Babbitt’s family’s request for a funeral with military honors, citing “the circumstances preceding her death.”

“As a result, I have determined that the military funeral honors would bring discredit upon the Air Force,” Kelly wrote in a letter.

Babbitt’s family’s reaction

Babbitt’s family responded to the amended decision in a statement through Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton.

“Ashli Babbitt’s family is grateful to President [Donald] Trump, Secretary [Pete] Hegseth and Under Secretary Lohmeier for reversing the Biden Defense Department’s cruel decision to deny Ashli funeral honors as a distinguished veteran of the Air Force,” Fitton said.

The granted request comes after the government agreed to pay Babbitt’s family nearly $5 million as part of a settlement, and Trump pardoned nearly all people who participated in the Capitol riots.

Evan Hummel

Evan Hummel is a producer for Straight Arrow News based in Nebraska. He takes pride in helping others navigate the world of news, with an emphasis on clarity, context and facts.

Karah Rucker

Karah Rucker is the host of Bias Breakdown and a daily news anchor for Straight Arrow News. She examines media bias and breaks down left- and right-leaning narratives with impartial analysis.

Tags: Air Force, Capitol riots, Department of Defense, Pentagon

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[Karah Rucker]

THE AIR FORCE IS REVERSING A BIDEN-ERA DECISION THAT INITIALLY DENIED ASHLI BABBITT’S FAMILY’S REQUEST FOR A MILITARY FUNERAL WITH HONORS, AS FIRST REVEALED BY JUDICIAL WATCH, A CONSERVATIVE LEGAL ORGANIZATION.

BABBITT WAS KILLED AFTER BEING SHOT BY AN OFFICER ON JAN. 6, 2021, INSIDE THE U.S. CAPITOL.

A WARNING SOME OF THIS FOOTAGE MAY BE DISTURBING TO SOME VIEWERS.

BABBITT DIED AFTER BEING SHOT BY A CAPITOL POLICE OFFICER AS SHE TRIED TO CLIMB THROUGH BARRICADED DOORS. VIDEO OF THE FATAL SHOOTING WAS CAUGHT ON CAMERA.

HER FAMILY SOUGHT $30 MILLION IN A WRONGFUL DEATH LAWSUIT AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT, BUT AGREED TO A NEARLY $5 MILLION SETTLEMENT IN MAY.

NOW, A LETTER FROM UNDER SECRETARY OF THE AIR FORCE MATTHEW LOHMEIER SAYS THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION WAS WRONG FOR DENYING HER FAMILY’S INITIAL REQUEST FOR A MILITARY HONORS FUNERAL.

IN A LETTER PUBLISHED BY JUDICIAL WATCH — LOHMEIER SAYS “AFTER REVIEWING THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF ASHLI’S DEATH AND CONSIDERING THE INFORMATION THAT HAS COME FORWARD SINCE THEN, I AM PERSUADED THAT THE PREVIOUS DETERMINATION WAS INCORRECT.”

FOLLOWING THE CAPITOL RIOTS, AN AIR FORCE SPOKESPERSON TOLD BABBITT’S FAMILY THEIR REQUEST WAS DENIED BECAUSE OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES PRECEDING BABBITT’S DEATH.

IN ADDITION TO REVERSING THE DECISION, LOHMEIER OFFERED TO MEET BABBITT’S MOTHER AND HUSBAND AT THE PENTAGON TO OFFER HIS CONDOLENCES.

JUDICIAL WATCH COMMENTED ON THE FAMILY’S BEHALF, SAYING THEY WERE “GRATEFUL TO PRESIDENT TRUMP, DEFENSE SECRETARY HEGSETH AND UNDER SECRETARY LOHMEIER FOR REVERSING THE BIDEN DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE’S CRUEL DECISION.”

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Why this story matters

The decision by the United States Air Force to grant Ashli Babbitt a military funeral with honors addresses ongoing national debates over the recognition of individuals involved in the January 6 Capitol events and the standards for military honors.

Military honors eligibility

Reversal of the Air Force's previous decision highlights how eligibility for military funeral honors can be reassessed in light of changing information and public scrutiny.

Response to January 6 participants

The recognition of a January 6 participant with military honors adds to ongoing debates about how those involved in the Capitol breach are viewed and treated by public institutions.

Institutional decision-making

This case illustrates how military and government agencies respond to appeals and public pressure, reexamining earlier decisions based on new circumstances or information.