US Army Criticizes Trump Campaign Over Incident at Arlington Cemetery
US Army Criticizes Trump Campaign Over Incident at Arlington Cemetery
The US Army issued a strong statement condemning former President Donald Trump’s campaign following an incident on Monday at Arlington National Cemetery. According to a statement released on Thursday, participants in a ceremony at the cemetery were informed about federal laws prohibiting political activities on the grounds, yet an employee was “abruptly pushed aside” while attempting to enforce these rules.
“Those involved in the August 26th ceremony and the subsequent visit to Section 60 were made aware of federal laws, Army regulations, and Department of Defense policies, which clearly prohibit political activities at cemetery grounds. An ANC employee who tried to enforce these rules was abruptly pushed aside,” an Army spokesperson stated on Thursday. Section 60 is a part of the cemetery where many Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans are buried.
The statement emphasized the seriousness of the incident and expressed disappointment over attacks on the professionalism of the ANC employee involved. The Army stressed that Arlington National Cemetery is a sacred place dedicated to honoring the military's fallen and that staff members are committed to ensuring that public ceremonies are conducted with the utmost respect and dignity.
Although the incident was reported to the police at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, the employee chose not to press charges, leading the Army to consider the matter closed.
This statement marks a rare instance of the military publicly addressing a political issue. It also adds to the list of controversies involving Trump and the military, as his campaign seeks to highlight the chaotic US withdrawal from Afghanistan under the Biden administration as a critical election issue.
Trump was at the cemetery for a wreath-laying ceremony honoring 13 US service members killed at Kabul airport’s Abbey Gate in Afghanistan three years ago. A video posted by the Trump campaign on TikTok showed Trump walking through Arlington and visiting gravesites, with audio criticizing the Biden administration’s handling of the Afghanistan withdrawal.
Accounts of the Monday incident vary. The Trump campaign maintains that no laws were violated, while cemetery officials assert that participants were clearly informed to avoid political activities. NPR first reported a “verbal and physical altercation” during the cemetery visit, with a source indicating that a cemetery official tried to prevent Trump’s team from taking photos and filming in areas with recent US casualties. In response, Trump campaign staff allegedly “verbally abused and pushed the official aside,” according to NPR.
Trump spokesperson Steven Cheung denied any physical altercation, claiming that an unnamed individual attempted to “physically block members of President Trump’s team during a solemn ceremony.” Cheung suggested there is video evidence to support this claim, though no footage has been released.
Trump campaign manager Chris LaCivita echoed this sentiment, stating that “President Trump was there at the invitation of the Abbey Gate Gold Star Families to honor their loved ones who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.”
LaCivita criticized the conduct of the cemetery official, calling it a disgrace and accusing them of disrespecting the sacred grounds of Arlington National Cemetery. He claimed that any allegations against Trump’s team dishonor the armed forces and those who sacrificed their lives.
However, a statement from Arlington National Cemetery, obtained by CNN, reiterated that federal law prohibits political campaign activities within Army National Military Cemeteries. The cemetery emphasized that this rule had been clearly communicated to all participants, including photographers and content creators.
Trump appeared to suggest that the controversy was related to his campaign’s use of photography, sharing a statement from the families of the fallen soldiers approving the presence of Trump’s official videographer and photographer to capture these moments of remembrance.
Despite this, it was not just the graves of the Abbey Gate victims that were featured in the media from Trump’s visit. At least one photo showed the grave of an Army Special Forces soldier who died by suicide, and whose family did not give permission for the campaign to use it. The family of Master Sgt. Andrew Marckesano, a Silver Star recipient, whose grave is next to that of Marine Staff Sgt. Darin Taylor Hoover expressed that the Trump campaign did not adhere to the rules set for the visit.
Michele Marckesano, speaking on behalf of her family, stated that while they supported the Abbey Gate families seeking accountability for the Afghanistan withdrawal, the Trump campaign did not follow the rules of Section 60. She stressed the importance of respecting the gravesites of those who sacrificed their lives for the country.
Veterans groups have also criticized the Trump campaign for conducting political activities at Arlington. Allison Jaslow, CEO of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, emphasized that Arlington is not an appropriate place for politics, stating that any aspiring leader, especially one seeking to become commander-in-chief, should understand this.
VoteVets, a progressive organization advocating for US troops and veterans, condemned Trump’s actions at the cemetery, describing them as “an affront to all those hundreds of thousands of families who never agreed to allow their deceased loved ones to be dragged into politics.”
