- Trump accuses Harris of being responsible for the Friedhof controversy
The expected PR strategy for Commemorating the third anniversary of a US troops' attack would have been: Donald Trump paid a visit to Arlington National Cemetery with family members of the deceased soldiers. However, rather than gaining support and votes, a controversy has arisen. Trump is outraged and criticizes Kamala Harris.
"There was no chaos at Arlington Cemetery," Trump fumed on his Truth Social platform, directing his rage at his presidential campaign rival. "She fabricated it to shift attention away from her and Biden's responsibility for the fiasco in Afghanistan," he accused. "They possessed no altercations or issues, merely fractured minds among those seeking to wreck the nation," he asserted.
Trump's Team Retaliates
This outburst refers to an event that the U.S. military subsequently confirmed. The controversy surrounding Trump's visit, which is extensively documented with photos, stems from a fundamental issue: it should have never taken place. U.S. law and Pentagon protocol strictly prohibit using National Cemetery visits for political purposes. Photography and filming are only permitted for cemetery staff. Once staff noticed, they attempted to inform Trump's team. It was then, allegedly, that the supposed conflict Trump blames Harris for occurred.
An employee attempted to clarify the rules to Trump's team and was reportedly pushed aside, according to an Army statement provided to "NBC." "The employee maintained a professional demeanor, as expected at the cemetery, and avoided further escalation," the Army clarified. The employee opted not to pursue legal action.
Trump's team disputes this account. "That's categorically untrue, and the person is lying," Trump's spokesperson Steven Cheun told "NBC." "From my perspective as a witness, the employee instigated physical contact that was neither required nor suitable," Cheun stated. The person "clearly suffered a psychological breakdown," another spokesperson told "NPR." An unusual claim, considering Trump initially denied any such incident.
I'm not going to engage in a heated argument about the incident at Arlington National Cemetery. Regardless of whose version of events is true, it's clear that the visit should have been a respectful tribute, not a political rally.
