The U.S. Army expresses criticism towards Trump's campaign following an occurrence at the National Cemetery.
The U.S. Army has spoken out against Donald Trump's campaign team after an event at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington D.C. A worker at the military cemetery was reportedly shoved when trying to enforce a rule banning political activities there, according to a representative. "This situation was unfortunate, and it's also unfortunate that the employee's professionalism was wrongfully attacked," the representative commented.
Initial reports about the incident came from NPR, which were later confirmed by Arlington National Cemetery. According to NPR, Trump's campaign team attempted to record and photograph in an area prohibited for fallen soldiers' relatives, where photography is forbidden. However, Trump's campaign manager Chris LaCivita accused an "appalling individual" of stopping the team of the presidential candidate from entering the area. LaCivita considered this individual unfit to represent the hallowed grounds of Arlington National Cemetery, he stated.
During his visit, Trump was accompanied by family members of U.S. military personnel who lost their lives during the final hours of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. The invitation for his attendance at the wreath-laying ceremony was extended by those family members. After leaving the cemetery, photos of Trump with the family were released by his campaign team. In one picture, Trump is giving a thumbs-up gesture.
Trump has highlighted President Joe Biden's handling of the Afghanistan withdrawal as a significant issue in his campaign for the 2021 election. He maintains that he would have handled the exit of soldiers more effectively. This withdrawal was part of the agreement the Trump administration reached with the Taliban in Doha in February 2020.
The Arlington incident is just the latest in a string of controversies surrounding Trump's relations with the military. Although Trump often publicly displayed support for the armed forces, his former chief of staff claimed that Trump enjoyed mocking war casualties privately. Moreover, Trump reportedly preferred to distance himself from soldiers with missing limbs.
The U.S. Army's statement condemned the actions of Trump's campaign team, expressing concern over their behavior at Arlington National Cemetery. Despite this, Trump's campaign manager, Chris LaCivita, defended his team, claiming they were unfairly targeted.
