Donald Trump visited Arlington National Cemetery to pay tribute to the 13 service members who died during the withdrawal from Afghanistan.
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Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign said the reported clash between former President Donald Trump’s campaign staff and Arlington National Cemetery officials was “deeply saddened” but “not surprising coming from the Trump campaign.”
“Listen, this is what we’ve come to expect from Donald Trump and his team,” Harris campaign spokesman Michael Tyler said in an interview with CNN on Wednesday. Arlington National Cemetery confirmed an “incident” had occurred late Tuesday, Federal Law Prohibits candidates and campaign groups from conducting political activities at national military cemeteries.
NPR On Tuesday night, two campaign workers for the Republican candidate Arlington National Cemetery Trump arrived at the shrine on Monday accompanied by a camera crew and entourage and took part in a wreath-laying ceremony at a designated area where recent U.S. military casualties are buried.
A source told NPR that the official tried to block Trump campaign staff from “filming or taking photos in that section” during an event marking three years since the deaths of 13 U.S. soldiers killed in a suicide bombing at Kabul’s airport during the withdrawal from Afghanistan.
“Donald Trump is someone who wants everything to be about him. He’s also someone who has a history of disrespecting and insulting our military personnel who have made the ultimate sacrifice,” Tyler said on CNN on Wednesday.
“I think this is part of what the American people have come to reject about Donald Trump. They’re tired of toxic politics,” Tyler said.
“They’re tired of MAGA extremism and they’re tired of somebody who’s just trying to pursue his own interests instead of doing what a leader should do, which is to fight for the American people, whatever the issue may be.”
In a statement Tuesday night, Arlington confirmed that “an incident occurred” and that “a report has been filed.”
“Federal law prohibits political campaigning or election-related activity on Army National Military Cemeteries, including photographers, content creators and others visiting in direct support of the campaigns of partisan political candidates,” the cemetery said.
“Arlington National Cemetery has thoroughly communicated this law and its prohibitions to all participants and shared it widely.”
The cemetery, run by the U.S. military, has a media policy for the U.S. National Military Cemetery posted on its website.
The policy states, “No filming or photography will be permitted that creates the impression that cemetery staff, visitors or family members are endorsing any product, service or organization. Additionally, ANC will not permit filming for partisan, political or fundraising purposes in accordance with the Hatch Act, 32 CFR 553 and AR 360-1.”
Days after Trump’s visit, his campaign posted videos and photos from the event on social media. TikTok Video of him in Arlington.
A photo next to the graves of two Marines killed in the Kabul attack shows Trump smiling and giving a thumbs up, standing next to their families.
The post also includes a tag called “Stay informed about the US elections,” which TikTok adds to some political content.
Dan Scavino, a senior adviser to the Trump campaign, posted a video of Trump in Arlington on the social media site “X.”
In a statement Tuesday night, Trump campaign spokesman Steven Chang denied that a physical confrontation took place and said the campaign was “prepared to release the video if such defamatory claims are made.”
“A private photographer was allowed on the premises, but for some reason, an anonymous individual who was clearly suffering from mental illness decided to physically disrupt members of President Trump’s team during the solemn ceremony,” Chang said.
“Unknown bureaucrats at Arlington whose job it is to protect the dignity of the cemetery are doing the exact opposite, trying to turn a very solemn and respectful event into something it is not,” Chris LaCivita, a senior adviser to the Trump campaign, said Wednesday.
LaCivita also told NBC News that the Harris campaign and Trump critics are using the incident as an attempt to “disguise the fact that the commander in chief was the only person in Arlington on August 26th.”
Harris was referring to the fact that Joe Biden, the president at the time the soldiers were killed in Kabul, did not visit Arlington on Tuesday, the anniversary of their deaths, and Harris also did not visit the cemetery that day.
LaCivita, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, also posted photos of Trump’s visit to Arlington on social media.
On Tuesday night, he posted a photo of President Trump posing with families of fallen service members at Arlington, along with statements from relatives of two Marines killed in the Kabul attack, Staff Sergeant Taylor Huber and Staff Sergeant Nicole Gee.
“We have approved President Trump’s official videographer and photographer to participate in the ceremony,” the statement said, “to ensure that these sacred moments of remembrance are respectfully recorded so that these memories can be cherished forever.”
