Trump campaign advised against taking photos at Arlington before clash, official says

There has been significant controversy surrounding an incident involving Donald Trump’s campaign at Arlington National Cemetery. During a wreath-laying ceremony focused on honoring service members who lost their lives during the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, a defense official disclosed that Trump’s campaign was warned against taking photographs. This information was shared with The Associated Press on Wednesday, as concerns over the incident grew.

According to a source who requested anonymity, two Trump campaign staff members became confrontational with a cemetery official who requested they stop filming and taking photos in Section 60, a burial site dedicated to military personnel who died while serving in Afghanistan and Iraq. This report was initially brought to light by NPR’s coverage of the event, which highlighted the inappropriate behavior of campaign members.

Prior to the altercation, the Trump campaign was advised about the prohibition of photographs in Section 60. This incident unfolded as Trump visited Arlington on the invitation of families mourning the loss of the 13 service members killed in the Kabul airport bombing three years ago.

Arlington National Cemetery confirmed in a statement that an incident took place and noted that a report had been filed, although they withheld further details. They reiterated that federal law forbids political activities within military cemeteries, which includes photography and campaign-related actions, emphasizing that the law had been communicated to all participants. The cemetery’s statement confirmed that an incident occurred, leading to a formal report.

On the other hand, Trump’s spokesperson Steven Cheung countered the allegations stating that the Republican presidential candidate’s team had indeed been granted permission for a photographer’s presence. Cheung asserted that there was no physical confrontation, dismissing claims that a member of Trump’s team had pushed a cemetery official. “A private photographer was permitted,” he said, describing the cemetery official as “an unnamed individual, clearly suffering from a mental health episode.”

Chris LaCivita, a senior adviser on Trump’s campaign, remarked that the former president was present at the invitation of the families of the fallen service members. To support this point, the campaign released a message from the relatives of two victims of the bombing, which commended Trump and his team for showing utmost respect during the ceremony.

In a written statement, LaCivita described the situation as “despicable,” asserting that preventing Trump’s team from participating at such a solemn event was disgraceful, and criticized the individual involved for spreading misinformation that, according to him, belittles the sacrifices made by the armed forces.

Responses from the Democratic camp followed, with Michael Tyler, a spokesperson for Vice President Kamala Harris, calling the reports from Arlington “pretty sad.” Tyler asserted that such behavior is reminiscent of past actions by Trump, emphasizing a pattern of disrespect towards military service members.

Democratic U.S. Representative Gerry Connolly from Virginia echoed similar sentiments, urging cemetery officials to release more details about the clash. He expressed dismay that Trump would prioritize political ambitions over honoring the sacrifices of military heroes, labeling the actions as “abhorrent and shameful.”

In the aftermath of the incident, JD Vance, Trump’s running mate, addressed the situation at a Pennsylvania campaign event. He downplayed the controversy, suggesting it was blown out of proportion by the media. Vance shifted focus away from the cemetery incident and criticized Harris for not taking action against those responsible for the deaths in Afghanistan. He labeled her response to the situation as “disgraceful.”

Furthermore, a Pentagon investigation concluded that the deaths resulting from the bombing were not preventable, indicating that the suicide bomber acted alone. Despite this, many critics have held the Biden administration accountable for how the evacuation was handled, asserting it should have commenced sooner.

“Kamala Harris is so asleep at the wheel that she won’t even do an investigation into what happened,” Vance stated, drawing attention back to Harris rather than addressing the cemetery incident directly.

Arlington National Cemetery is the final resting place for over 400,000 service members, veterans, and their families, making the sanctity of such events a delicate topic that warrants respect and consideration from all parties involved.

Source: Associated Press