Gov. Greg Abbott says critics are "playing politics" over Texas National Guard suicides

For 24/7 mental health support in English or Spanish, call the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s free help line at 800-662-4357. Greg Abbott on Tuesday pushed back against critics of his border security mission and the suicides that have been linked to it, saying the loss of any life is “extraordinarily hurtful” but that his detractors are “just playing politics.” The group of critics includes his challengers for reelection in both parties, who have been highlighting reports that there have been four suicides, pay delays and other problems among the National Guard troops that Abbott has sent to the border as part of “Operation Lone Star.” During a campaign stop here, Abbott said the pay issue affected a small portion of the troops and has been resolved. “If they are saying something about what’s happening to the National Guard in Texas, why are they not at the very same time saying something about President Biden and having lost hundreds of members of the U.S. military … to suicide?” Abbott said. Abbott said the suicides are being investigated and thinks it will come out that not all “actually occurred during Operation Lone Star.” One of the soldiers was denied a hardship release and died by suicide a few days later, the Army Times reported. Abbott said it is “offensive for any of these people raising the issues to politicize the issue of a military member losing their life.” The critics have included Abbott’s likely Democratic challenger, Beto O’Rourke, who has said the National Guard troops should not be used as “political pawns.” “Abbott is shrugging off the deaths of five Guardsmen as he continues to denigrate the service of all Guard members by asking them to perform as the backdrop for his political photo ops,” O’Rourke said in a statement Tuesday in response to Abbott’s comments.