Members of Donald Trump's campaign staff reportedly were involved in an altercation with an Arlington National Cemetery official during a wreath-laying ceremony that has been criticized as a campaign stunt.
Two members of his staff verbally assaulted and pushed the official, NPR reported on Tuesday, citing an unnamed source.
The cemetery official reportedly tried to prevent Trump staffers from taking video and photos in a section of the cemetery where recent U.S. casualties are buried. Only cemetery staff are authorized to conduct photography in the area known as Section 60.
Trump was at Arlington to mark the third anniversary of an attack on U.S. forces in Afghanistan during the chaotic withdrawal from the country.
The August 26, 2021, suicide bombing at Hamid Karzai International Airport killed 13 American service members.
Trump has repeatedly tried to blame Vice President Kamala Harris for the soldier deaths that day and has called it one of the worst moments in American history during campaign rallies.
Campaign spokesman Steven Cheung told NPR via an emailed statement that there was no physical altercation and that "We are prepared to release footage if such defamatory claims are made."
He blamed an "unnamed individual, clearly suffering from a mental health episode" for trying to block members of Trump's team during a "very solemn ceremony."
He took several photos with families found by his staff. Campaigning at Arlington National Cemetery and posing for photos and video in sacred Section 60 which is NOT allowed! Arlington already let him know he’s not going to be buried there, but they should ban him now. pic.twitter.com/l4S3dIYLYQ
— WeirderIsGood 🇺🇸🌊 (@WeirderIsGood) August 28, 2024
Trump was later photographed smiling and holding a "thumbs up" in posed photo in front of graves.
Arlington National Cemetery confirmed an incident occurred and "a report was filed" in statements to the media.
Trump had been invited to the wreath-laying ceremony by members of families who had lost loved ones in the Abbey Gate Bombing at the airport in Kabul.
BREAKING: Gold Star Families have released a powerful statement supporting former President Donald Trump in the face of an onslaught of dishonest media attacks.
— Kyle Becker (@kylenabecker) August 28, 2024
Trump recently visited Arlington National Cemetery to honor the lives of 13 servicemen who were killed in the Afghan… pic.twitter.com/PNraqYNMIq
They issued a statement in support of Trump, saying: "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."
They said that they had given approval for Trump's official videographer and photographer to attend the event.
But the cemetery says the photography broke the rules.
"Federal law prohibits political campaign or election-related activities within Army National Military Cemeteries, to include photographers, content creators or any other persons attending for purposes, or in direct support of a partisan political candidate's campaign," it stated. "Arlington National Cemetery reinforced and widely shared this law and its prohibitions with all participants."
Arlington officially became a national cemetery on June 15, 1864. More than 14,000 soldiers are buried there including many from the Civil War.
