Days after TGP reported Kamala Harris was not saluting the military, Harris offered salutes on Friday when she arrived at Joint Base Andrews for a trip to New Haven, Connecticut as part of the the Biden-Harris administration’s ‘Help Is Here’ tour to promote the newly passed $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan. Harris saluted twice; once to the officer her greeted her on arrival at JBA and again to the honor guard stationed at the stairs for Air Force Two.
Harris’ salute comes after The Gateway Pundit reported on Monday that Harris was not saluting the military honor guard stationed at the foot of the stairs of Air Force Two on arrival or departure.
TGP reported that this was a break from her predecessors in office, former Vice Presidents Mike Pence and Joe Biden. The article also noted that former Vice President Dick Cheney had said he did not offer a return salute as he he did not believe he was in the chain of command. The article also reported that while there is no hard and fast rules on salutes by the president and vice president, the tradition was started by President Ronald Reagan and has been maintained by every successive presidents and most vice presidents.
Harris not saluting seemed out of step with her boss Joe Biden who saluted the military when he was vice president and does so now as president.
A video clip by a White House staffer of Harris not saluting as she left Atlanta last Friday that was featured in the TGP article was picked up on Twitter and went viral ninety minutes after the TGP article was published at 3 p.m. CDT Monday.
The @VP finishes up her joint visit to Atlanta with @POTUS and boards AF2 on her way back Washington, DC. pic.twitter.com/OUm2TkUNYj
— Peter Velz (@PeterVelz46) March 20, 2021
The pick up by David Croom garnered over one million views:
Kamala Harris does not salute the military when she arrives at or steps off Air Force Two, unlike her predecessors former Vice Presidents Mike Pence and Joe Biden pic.twitter.com/CUrS9jt4w2
— David Croom – (ツ) (@dailycallout) March 22, 2021
The issue of Harris not saluting was reported by several outlets afterward, including Fox News. That prompted media fireman to defend Harris.
Snopes, the Associated Press and even the Daily Show came to her aid:
Photos above via Twitter:
.@vp salutes Air Force officer as she arrives at Joint Base Andrews. pic.twitter.com/cpApBSxPOy
— Emmanuel Touhey (@EmmanuelTouhey) March 26, 2021
For all the Kamala Harris haters, @VP salutes. FYI 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/mhghniBrbK
— POTUS & VP Updates (@POTUSVP46) March 26, 2021
UPDATE: Video clip of salute. Harris salutes twice, once to the officer who receives her when she steps out of the vehicle and again when she approaches the honor guard.
On arrival at Tweed Airport in New Haven, Harris apparently went back to her old habit and brushed her windblown hair from her face instead of saluting when she got to the bottom of the stairs of Air Force Two.
Video clips via WTNH-TV.
