Ashli Babbitt, the U.S. Air Force veteran who was shot and killed inside the Capitol during the Jan. 6, 2021 riot, will receive full military funeral honors, Judicial Watch announced Wednesday in a press release.
Former President Joe Biden’s administration had denied Babbitt full military funeral honors because she’d been present at the Capitol during the riot, according to the organization’s press release. The recent reverse in policy follows a n almost $5 million settlement Babbitt’s family received from President Donald Trump’s administration for claims against the federal government, including wrongful death.
BREAKING: The US Air Force has RESTORED funeral honors to veteran Ashli Babbitt — reversing a vicious, political decision by the Biden regime to deny them to her and her grieving family. Thank you @RealDonaldTrump, @SecDef @PeteHegseth and @usairforce Under Sec @matthewlohmeier!… https://t.co/kdSCWkelUg
— Tom Fitton (@TomFitton) August 27, 2025
Judicial Watch Senior Counsel Robert Sticht wrote Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth a letter on July 23, 2025, asking him to reverse the decision prohibiting Babbitt from receiving full military funeral honors. Under Secretary of the Air Force Matthew L. Lohmeier confirmed the reversal to Babbitt’s husband, Aaron Babbitt and her mother, Michelle Witthoeft via an Aug. 15 letter, according to Judicial Watch
“On behalf of the Secretary of the Air Force, I write to extend the offer for Military Funeral Honors for SrA Ashli Babbitt. I understand that the family’s initial request was denied by Air Force leadership in a letter dated February 9, 2021. 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,” Lohmeier wrote in the letter.
Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton reacted to the reverse in policy. “Ashli Babbitt’s family is grateful to President Trump, Secretary 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 stated, according to the release.
A U.S. Capitol police officer shot and killed Babbitt after she tried getting through a broken window inside the Capitol in the vicinity of the Speaker’s Lobby on Jan. 6, 2021, CNN reported. Officials determined the officer who shot Babbitt was clear of criminal wrongdoing in connection with the incident. (RELATED: Officer Who Shot Ashli Babbitt Will Not Face Any Disciplinary Action, Conduct Was ‘Lawful’ US Capitol Police Announce)
Babbitt was on active duty from 2004 to 2008, a member of the Air Force Reserves from 2008 to 2010 and a member of the Air National Guard from 2010 to 2016. She also deployed overseas multiple times.
A Department of the Air Force spokesperson confirmed the policy reversal allowing Babbitt to receive full military funeral honors to CNN. These generally include a detail of uniformed personnel at the funeral, the playing of Taps and a U.S. flag being folded and presented during the ceremony.