Father of Fallen Soldier Criticizes Trump for Arlington Stunt

The father of a U.S. Army soldier, who was killed in 2004 and laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery, is questioning the motives behind Donald Trump’s recent visit to the esteemed burial site of military heroes.

Khizr Khan’s son, Army Captain Humayun Khan, lost his life at the age of 27 while serving his country. He was posthumously awarded a Bronze Star for his bravery.

Khan spoke with The Daily Beast about Trump’s controversial visit to the cemetery, which occurred on a Monday. During his time there, Trump posed for photographs with the families of Marines who had died in combat, seemingly to highlight his visit. Khan suggests that Trump’s intention could have been to leverage this moment for his 2024 presidential campaign. If this is accurate, such actions would be in direct violation of a federal law that prohibits campaign activities in the cemetery.

This was not Trump’s first visit to Arlington. In 2007, Marine General John Kelly, who later served as Trump’s Secretary of Homeland Security and White House Chief of Staff, relayed an incident where Trump questioned the willingness of military members to risk their lives. Kelly recalled that Trump reportedly said, “I don’t get it. What was in it for them?”

Additionally, during a visit to Europe, Trump allegedly referred to American Marines who lost their lives in World War I as “losers” and “suckers,” expressing disinterest in visiting their graves. Trump has since denied making such remarks.

Khan, however, remains skeptical of Trump’s denials. “He has proven his disrespect,” Khan stated. “Somebody needs to ask him, ‘You have shown that contempt multiple times and yet again, you go there.’”

This latest incident is not the first time Khan has publicly criticized Trump for what he perceives as a lack of respect for military personnel. In 2016, both he and his wife stood at the Democratic National Convention, delivering pointed criticisms of the former president.

“We are honored to stand here as the parents of Captain Humayun Khan, and as patriotic American Muslims with undivided loyalty to our country,” Khan declared then. “Donald Trump, you are asking Americans to trust you with our future. Let me ask you: Have you even read the U.S. Constitution? I will gladly lend you my copy. In this document, look for the words ‘liberty’ and ‘equal protection of law.’”

Khan further questioned whether Trump had ever visited Arlington Cemetery. “Go look at the graves of the brave patriots who died defending America—you will see all faiths, genders, and ethnicities. You have sacrificed nothing and no one,” he added.

Trump’s team returned to Arlington the following day for a ceremonial wreath-laying, commemorating the third anniversary of the 2021 Bagram airfield attack. Reports emerged that Trump’s campaign entourage allegedly clashed with a cemetery official who was trying to uphold decorum during this solemn occasion.

Steven Cheung, a spokesperson for Trump’s campaign, dismissed the claims of a physical altercation as “defamatory.” He asserted that a private photographer was allowed at the event and blamed an unnamed individual for trying to block members of Trump’s team during the ceremony.

Contrasting Cheung’s account, the U.S. Army issued a statement confirming the incident, emphasizing that participants in the ceremony were well aware of regulations prohibiting political activities on cemetery grounds. An Army spokesperson noted that an employee who attempted to maintain these regulations was forcibly pushed aside.

“This incident was unfortunate, and it is also unfortunate that the ANC employee and her professionalism has been unfairly attacked,” the statement read. It stressed the importance of maintaining the dignity demanded by such a respected memorial as Arlington National Cemetery.

The day following the ceremony, Trump’s campaign released a narrated video showcasing the cemetery visit, which bore a resemblance to a campaign advertisement. A photo of Trump smiling and giving a thumbs-up at the grave of Staff Sergeant Darien Hoover subsequently ignited a social media firestorm.

Khan has expressed that Trump disregarded the sacred rules meant to preserve the tranquility and reverence of Arlington as a memorial for fallen soldiers. “He went there to exploit the sentiments of the people for political gain,” Khan remarked. “It is appetite and ego, wherever he goes, whatever he does, wherever he stands.”