Donald Trump’s campaign received a warning about refraining from taking photographs during a wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery to honor the service members who lost their lives in the Afghanistan War withdrawal. An official from the defense department, speaking anonymously, revealed the incident that transpired during the event on Monday. The official disclosed that the Trump campaign was cautioned against taking photos in Section 60, where military personnel killed in Afghanistan and Iraq are laid to rest, before the altercation occurred.
A report by NPR, citing a source familiar with the situation, stated that two Trump campaign staff members engaged in verbal abuse and physical confrontation with a cemetery official who tried to prevent them from filming and photographing in Section 60. The cemetery issued a statement acknowledging an “incident” and a subsequent report without delving into specifics.
According to the cemetery officials, federal law prohibits any political campaign or election-related activities in Army National Military Cemeteries, including photography and content creation for partisan political candidates. Trump’s spokesperson, Steven Cheung, countered the allegation, stating that a private photographer was permitted on-site and denied claims of a campaign staff member pushing a cemetery official during the ceremony.
Chris LaCivita, a senior Trump campaign advisor, defended the President’s attendance at the invitation of the families of service members who perished in the Kabul airport bombing. Meanwhile, Trump’s Democratic opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris’ spokesperson, Michael Tyler, criticized the incident, attributing it to Trump’s behavior and past actions towards military service members.
Congressman Gerry Connolly demanded more transparency from cemetery officials regarding the incident, condemning Trump’s alleged disrespect for the hallowed grounds of Arlington National Cemetery. Trump’s running mate, JD Vance, downplayed the incident at Arlington Cemetery during a campaign event, shifting the focus to criticizing Harris for her response to the deaths of service members in the Kabul terror attack.
The Arlington National Cemetery, the final resting place for over 400,000 service members, veterans, and their families, stands as a solemn tribute to the sacrifices made by military personnel.
