Arlington National Cemetery confirmed the incident on Tuesday when former President Donald Trump arrived there to celebrate his third birthday. Abbey Gate attacks in Afghanistan.
“We can confirm that the incident took place and a protocol has been drawn up,” the statement said.
“Federal law prohibits political campaign or election-related activities at Army National Military Cemeteries, including direct support of the campaign of a partisan political candidate by photographers, content creators, or any other person participating in the cause,” the cemetery said. “Arlington National Cemetery has reinforced and widely shared this law and its prohibitions with all participants.”
The former president attended a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on Monday, marking the third anniversary of the death of 13 U.S. service members in an Islamic State attack near Kabul airport in Afghanistan. More than 150 Afghans were also killed. Fallen soldiers have parents expressed his anger Because of the lack of response from the administration of President Joe Biden regarding the attack.
After the ceremony, Trump headed to Section 60 of the cemetery, where some soldiers killed in Afghanistan and Iraq are buried and where filming is usually strictly limited.
NPR first reported On Tuesday, two Trump campaign staffers got into a “verbal and physical altercation” with a cemetery official who tried to block their filming.
A statement from Arlington National Cemetery did not confirm those details.
Steven Cheung, Trump’s communications director, denied some details of the report and said the campaign was willing to release the footage to support its claim.
“There was no physical altercation as described and we are prepared to release the footage if such defamatory allegations are made,” Cheung said. “The fact is that a particular photographer was allowed into the building, and for whatever reason, an unnamed person suffering from a mental health episode decided to physically block members of President Trump’s team during a very solemn ceremony.”
Cheung followed up in a statement On Xsaid that Trump was allowed to have a photographer there.
Chris LaCivita, Trump’s co-campaign manager Posted a video on x It showed Trump laying flowers at the cemetery.
In his statement, he claimed that a “despicable person” physically prevented Trump’s team from accompanying him to the event.
“For a despicable individual to physically prevent President Trump’s team from escorting him to this ceremony is disgraceful and unworthy of representing the empty grounds of Arlington National Cemetery,” LaCivita said. “Whoever this person is spreading these lies is disrespecting the men and women of our armed forces and disrespecting everyone who pays the price to defend our country.”
LaCivita claimed Trump was in Section 60 at the invitation of Abbey Gate Gold Star families “to honor loved ones who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.”
Controversy follows one after the other comment this month the former president said the Presidential Medal of Freedom award to civilians is “better” than the top military award, the Presidential Medal of Honor, because recipients of the latter are often killed or injured.
Trump previously faced scrutiny over a 2020 report by The Atlantic then confirmed Former White House Chief of Staff John Kelly said he used derogatory terms against fallen soldiers, calling them “suckers” and “losers.” There is Trump denied this claim.