Former US President Donald Trump is facing immense backlash after he posted a campaign video to TikTok featuring footage of his visit to Arlington National Cemetary in Virginia earlier this week.
The 2024 Republican Presidential Candidate’s visit first sparked fury from veterans, military groups and families alike after he was captured posing with his thumbs up at a soldier’s grave. He also came under fire for an altercation that reportedly saw two of his campaign staffers verbally abuse and push a cemetery official.
Now the visit is again in question for turning the anniversary of the death of American servicemen into a political campaign video. The video depicts clips of Trump walking past graves and through the cemetery. He is also seen holding his hand to his heart and laying a wreath in front of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. He is also seen laying flowers on the graves of the 13 service members killed in the 2021 terror attack at Abbey Gate outside Kabul Airport, posing with their family members for photos.
@realdonaldtrumpShould have never happened.♬ original sound – President Donald J Trump
“We lost thirteen great, great people. What a horrible day that was,” the former president starts. But then quickly turns his focus to Democratic candidate and Vice President Kamala Harris and President Joe Biden. “We didn’t lose one person in 18 months,” he said. “And then they took over that disaster – the leaving of Afghanistan”.
The campaign raised further controversy when it was reported that Trump’s press secretary Steven Cheung and campaign co-manager Chris LaCivita had got into a physical altercation with a cemetery official. A source, speaking on the condition of anonymity, revealed that a cemetery official tried to stop the two staffers from filming and photographing in a section of the cemetery known as Section 60, where recent US casualties are buried.
Officials had reportedly made it clear that only staff are authorised to photograph or film in this specific area of the cemetery. But when the official tried to stop Trump’s team from entering the section, Cheung and LaCivita allegedly verbally abused and pushed the official aside, the source claimed.
The U.S. Army confirmed in a statement that the incident had been reported to the police, but as the employee did not want to press charges, the matter was now considered to be closed.
“An ANC employee who attempted to ensure adherence to these rules was abruptly pushed aside. Consistent with the decorum expected at ANC, this employee acted with professionalism and avoided further disruption,” the army said. “This incident was unfortunate, and it is also unfortunate that the ANC employee and her professionalism has been unfairly attacked.
“ANC is a national shrine to the honoured dead of the Armed Forces, and its dedicated staff will continue to ensure public ceremonies are conducted with the dignity and respect the nation’s fallen deserve,” the statement concluded.
Cheung has denied that any physical altercation occurred and tried to accuse the cemetery official of suffering from a “mental health episode”.
“This individual was the one who initiated physical contact and verbal harassment that was unwarranted and unnecessary,” Cheung said in a statement. “As the army has said, they consider this matter closed. President Trump was there to support the Gold Star families and honour the sacrifices their loved ones made. Where was Kamala Harris?”
The families of Staff Sergeant Darin Taylor Hoover and Sergeant Nicole Gee confirmed that they had given approval for Trump’s official videographer and photographer to attend the event – though it is unclear if they had the authority to do so. “The president and his team conducted themselves with nothing but the utmost respect and dignity for all of our service members, especially our beloved children,” the families said.
Trump’s running mate, JD Vance spoke out in defence of the former president at a rally in Pennsylvania a few days later saying that the media was creating a story where there wasn’t one and suggesting that Harris could “go to hell”.
“You’re acting like filmed a TV commercial at a gravesite,” the senator said. “He was there providing emotional support to brave Americans who lost loved ones and there happened to be a camera there”.
Social media users quickly pointed out the flaws in Vance’s comments. “He literally filmed a commercial at a gravesite,” one X user commented. “There just happened to be a camera there. What a coincidence!” another said.
Even Trump’s own former secretary of defense, Mark Esper, spoke out on the matter telling CNN that he believes the incident “should be investigated”.
“No person or party, either side should ever use Arlington National Cemetery – or any of our cemeteries or battlefields for partisan political purposes, or break the so-called rules,” he said. “We need to maintain its prominence, its importance, its sacredness to the American people and certainly to the veterans”.
