Officials at Arlington National Cemetery have reported that members of Donald Trump’s campaign staff acted inappropriately during a photo opportunity where they allegedly shoved and verbally abused an employee. The incident occurred after the former president participated in a wreath-laying ceremony for US servicemen and women killed in Afghanistan.
Arlington National Cemetery confirmed that political campaign activities are prohibited within Army National Military Cemeteries. The cemetery representative tried to prevent the Trump staffers from taking photographs in a restricted section, but was verbally abused and pushed aside. Trump’s running mate, JD Vance, downplayed the incident, calling it a media exaggeration, while criticizing Vice President Kamala Harris’s handling of the US military withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Photographs of Trump flashing a thumbs-up sign at the graves of fallen military members drew criticism, with one family stating that they did not give permission for the campaign staff to film at their relative’s gravesite. The Trump campaign attempted to shift blame onto the cemetery representative, accusing them of having a mental health episode. Mark Esper, a former defense secretary, called for an investigation into the altercation and emphasized that partisan political purposes should not be allowed at Arlington National Cemetery.
Amid controversy and backlash, some families of the fallen service members thanked Trump for his visit, while others expressed disappointment in the disrespectful behavior. The incident at Arlington National Cemetery further highlights the ongoing political divisiveness and sensitivity surrounding military tributes.
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Photo credit www.theguardian.com