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Jimmy Williams
The Trump campaign is downplaying reports of an altercation that occurred during former President Donald Trump’s visit to Arlington National Cemetery on Monday, amid concerns about potential political fallout. The incident, which allegedly involved Trump campaign staffers and a cemetery official, has sparked debate over Trump’s respect for the military and veterans, an image he has long sought to cultivate.
“A nameless bureaucrat at Arlington whose job it is to preserve the dignity of the cemetery is doing the complete opposite in trying to make what was a very solemn and respectful event into something it was not,” said Trump campaign senior adviser Chris LaCivita, a retired Marine who was with Trump at the cemetery.
Trump’s visit to Arlington was to commemorate the third anniversary of the Abbey Gate bombing during the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, which claimed the lives of 13 American service members. Trump laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and visited Section 60, where many Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans are buried.
The reported altercation involved two Trump campaign staffers who allegedly clashed with a cemetery official attempting to prevent them from filming in Section 60. Arlington National Cemetery regulations prohibit partisan political activities, including campaign-related filming, within its grounds.
The Trump campaign has strongly denied any physical altercation, with communications director Steven Cheung dismissing the report as “defamatory” and accusing the unnamed cemetery official of “suffering from a mental health episode.” However, Arlington National Cemetery confirmed that “an incident” occurred and that a report was filed.
“We didn’t even hear about it until the next day,” said one participant, who requested anonymity but did not believe Trump’s participation amounted to campaign activity. Another participant, Kelly Barnett, mother of Marine Staff Sgt. Darin “Taylor” Hoover, who was killed in the Abbey Gate bombing, confirmed she had given permission for the filming, emphasizing her desire to “cherish these memories forever.”
Despite the Trump campaign’s efforts to downplay the incident, the episode has reignited questions about Trump’s genuine support for the military. Critics point to Trump’s history of controversial remarks about service members, including his past comments about the late Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and his recent comparison of the Presidential Medal of Freedom to the Medal of Honor, which many found disrespectful.
“Listen, this is what we’ve come to expect from Donald Trump and his team,” said Michael Tyler, communications director for Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign. “Donald Trump is a person who wants to make everything all about Donald Trump… He has a history of demeaning and degrading military service members.”
The Trump campaign’s handling of the Arlington incident has raised concerns among some Republicans, with one operative criticizing Cheung’s statement as “so unprofessional.” Another Trump ally described the behavior outlined in the cemetery as “really out of character” for the campaign.
As the controversy continues, Trump’s focus remains on criticizing President Joe Biden’s handling of the Afghanistan withdrawal, which Republicans view as one of the Biden administration’s significant failures. However, the Arlington incident has added a layer of complexity to Trump’s military-related messaging, as he faces ongoing scrutiny over his respect for veterans and service members.
Democrats, meanwhile, have seized the opportunity to highlight Trump’s record on military issues, with former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta emphasizing at last week’s Democratic National Convention that Trump “does not understand the service and sacrifice of our military.”
As the 2024 presidential campaign intensifies, the Arlington altercation and its aftermath underscore the ongoing debate over Trump’s relationship with the military and the broader implications for his political future.
