Fresh controversy brews over Trump's visit to Arlington National Cemetery,

 

The 2024 campaign of former President Donald Trump sparked controversy anew this week with a visit to Arlington National Cemetery that was supposed to highlight the chaotic US withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.

An individual physically barred Trump's team from accompanying him on the Monday visit, two Trump campaign officials said. A cemetery spokesperson confirmed to CNN "there was an incident" and a "report was filed" but didn't provide additional details.

Trump visited the cemetery after laying a wreath to commemorate 13 US military service members who were killed at Kabul airport's Abbey Gate. A video of the former president's visit was posted by the Trump campaign on TikTok. The visit came as the three-year anniversary of the tragedy passed.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump seemed to suggest the incident was over his campaign's photography, posting a statement from the family members of the fallen soldiers that they did not disapprove. 

"We had given our approval for President Trump's official videographer and photographer to attend the event to ensure these sacred moments of remembrance were respectfully captured so we can cherish these memories forever," the families said.

However, in a statement from Arlington National Cemetery, which NookHavenMedia has been able to obtain, federal law prohibits any political campaigning or electioneering in Army National Military Cemeteries. 

Trump's visit to Arlington National Cemetery:

The cemetery said it "reinforced and widely shared this law and its prohibitions with all participants," which includes "photographers, content creators or any other persons attending for purposes, or in direct support of a partisan political candidate's campaign."

Trump's post came after an NPR report on a "verbal and physical altercation" the outlet said occurred at the cemetery. A person familiar with the incident told the outlet that a cemetery official tried to stop Trump's team from photographing and filming in the section of the cemetery where recent U.S. casualties are buried. In response, Trump campaign staff "verbally abused and pushed the official aside," according to NPR.

A Trump spokesperson, Steven Cheung, denied any scuffle took place but nonetheless went on to say "an unknown individual decided to "physically block members of President Trump's team during a very solemn ceremony." Cheung suggests that Trump's team have video to back up the claim.

Trump campaign manager Chris LaCivita presented a similar account of events to CNN, saying in a statement that "President Trump was there on the invitation of the Abbey Gate Gold Star Families to honor their loved ones who gave the ultimate sacrifice for their country."

"For a despicable person to physically prevent President Trump's team from accompanying him to this solemn event is a shame and doesn't deserve to represent the hollowed [sic] grounds of Arlington National Cemetery. Whoever this person is spreading these lies are dishonoring the men and women of our armed forces, and they're disrespecting everyone who paid the price for defending our country," LaCivita said.

Sen. JD Vance appeared to pooh-pooh the incident; he called it a "little disagreement" and said the families had "invited him to be there and to support them.".

"There's verifiable evidence that the campaign was allowed to have a photographer there," Vance told reporters Wednesday in Erie, Pennsylvania, where he was campaigning. "There's verifiable evidence that the families of these poor people who had their loved ones die three years ago at Abbey Road – excuse me, Abbey Gate. Those 13 Americans, a lot of them were there with the president."

Virginia Democratic Rep. Gerry Connolly called on the leadership of Arlington Cemetery to make public the report on the incident during the visit. He questions Trump's intentions and refers to his team's behavior as "abhorrent and shameful.".

I call on Arlington Cemetery to release publicly everything that happened yesterday so the American people can be assured that the ground in which our nation's heroes are buried is not being desecrated by a man who has no notion of service and sacrifice," the congressman said.