Vice President Kamala Harris criticized former President Donald Trump for his recent visit to Arlington National Cemetery, accusing him of disrespecting the sacred site by engaging in political activities prohibited on the grounds. Reports indicated that Trump’s campaign team had a confrontation with a cemetery staff member before proceeding to take photos and videos of the former president, even near the graves of Afghanistan war veterans, despite being informed of the cemetery’s rules.
Harris emphasized that Arlington is a place for honoring American heroes, not for political stunts, and condemned Trump’s actions as disrespectful to the solemn location. The incident arose from Trump’s ongoing criticism of President Joe Biden and Vice President Harris regarding the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. Trump visited Arlington at the invitation of families of service members who lost their lives in the Afghanistan bombing last August, placing wreaths in memory of the fallen soldiers.
Before the altercation at the cemetery, Trump’s campaign was cautioned against taking photographs by defense officials, who later reported that a Trump campaign staffer verbally abused and pushed an Arlington employee but charges were not pursued. The Trump campaign accused Pentagon officials of mistreatment and claimed they had permission to film at the cemetery.
Amidst his renewed focus on Harris and her involvement in foreign policy decisions, Trump has been targeting the vice president following Biden’s decision not to seek reelection. Harris referenced Trump’s past disputes with veterans and allegations of derogatory comments towards fallen service members, emphasizing his self-serving nature and vowing to honor the sacrifices of all American heroes without politicizing them.
The Biden administration’s withdrawal from Afghanistan was based on a timeline negotiated with the Taliban during the Trump administration, according to a government review. The collapse of Afghanistan’s military and the Taliban’s resurgence were attributed to decisions made by both Trump and Biden, as noted in the investigation. Harris concluded by reaffirming her commitment to honoring fallen heroes and condemning any politicization of their service and sacrifice.
