This week, the Trump campaign has been embroiled in various controversies regarding an event at Arlington National Cemetery (ANC). Allegedly, a campaign employee pushed or otherwise tussled with a Cemetery employee regarding rules and expectations of reverence at particular sites at the Cemetery.
Incident at Arlington National Cemetery
According to the U.S. Army, an ANC employee was “abruptly pushed aside” by Trump campaign staffers while the cemetery employee was trying to “ensure adherence” to ANC rules prohibiting political activities at the cemetery.
Trump Campaign’s Response
The Trump campaign responded to the incident, saying the employee was “clearly suffering from a mental health episode.”
Army’s Statement on the Incident
The Army said, “Participants in the August 26th ceremony and the subsequent Section 60 visit were made aware of federal laws, Army regulations, and DoD policies, which prohibit political activities on Cemetery grounds.”
“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 professionally and avoided further disruption.”
No Charges Pressed by ANC Employee
According to officials, the incident was reported to the relevant police department. As of Thursday, the ANC employee will not press charges, and the Army has considered the matter closed.
Army’s Support for the Employee
The Army has also backed the employee, calling it “unfortunate that the ANC employee and her professionalism have been unfairly attacked.” The extensive Army statement comes after Trump posted a video of his visit to the ANC with a clearly political message.
Purpose of the Event and Video
The event covered by the footage was Trump’s visit to the honored ANC commemorating the third anniversary of an attack in Afghanistan in which 13 U.S. service members paid the ultimate price.
The event was used by the Trump campaign to promote a narrative attacking President Biden and Vice President Harris for withdrawing from Afghanistan and leaving chaos in the region.
Trump’s Remarks in the Video
In the video, Trump said, “We lost 13 great, great people, what a horrible day it was. We didn’t lose one person in 18 months, and then they took over the disaster, the leaving of Afghanistan.”
Details of the Video
Footage The video was just over 20 seconds and includes footage of Trump laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier as well as Trump’s interactions with Gold Star families at the gravesites of their fallen loved ones in Section 60.
Legal Prohibitions on Campaign Activities in Military Cemeteries
According to federal law, military cemeteries are prohibited from use in campaign events, which led to the incident of the ANC employee attempting to prevent filming and the Trump team’s resulting altercation with the employee.
Involvement of Gold Star Families
According to NPR, the Gold Star families had invited and agreed to the filming of footage at the gravesite between them and Trump. Despite their filming approval, federal law still prohibits politicizing the cemetery for campaign ends.
Gold Star Families’ Support for Trump
The families involved in the filming were also at the Republican National Convention, supporting Trump over Biden. Cheryl Juels spoke at the RNC in July, saying, “Joe Biden may have forgotten that our children died, but we have not forgotten; Donald Trump has not forgotten.”
Controversy Over Filming a Green Beret’s Grave
Adding to the controversy, the 20-second clip films the grave of a Green Beret, and the family did not consent to show the headstone in the media spot.
Comments from J.D. Vance
Trump’s Vice Presidential running mate, J.D. Vance said, “You guys in the media, you’re acting like Donald Trump filmed a TV Commercial at a gravesite.”
“He was there, providing emotional support to a lot of brave Americans who lost their loved ones they never should have lost. And there happened to be a camera there, and somebody permitted him to have that camera there.”
