Donald Trump has faced backlash for using Arlington National Cemetery as a photo opportunity.
August 28, 2024, published at 1:30 PM ET
Donald Trump is accused of using the hallowed grounds of Arlington National Cemetery as a political photo op.
The ex-president did that faced with adversity for smiling and giving thumbs up for photos at the grave of fallen soldiers killed during the withdrawal of US troops in Afghanistan in 2021, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Adding to the investigation into the “shameful” visit, one of Trump’s aides reportedly got into a physical altercation with a cemetery official who tried to prevent the campaign from filming and taking photos in the area known as Section 60.
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Trump visited Arlington National Cemetery to mark the third anniversary of the terrorist attack on Kabul airport, which killed 13 American soldiers.
Trump, 78, was in Arlington, Virginia, to lay a wreath to mark the third anniversary of the Abbey Gate terrorist attack at Kabul airport, which killed thirteen American soldiers.
After photos and videos of the event went viral on social media, users quickly noticed Trump’s “unusual” pose during the solemn ceremony.
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Former lawmakers and social media users have lambasted Trump for grinning and giving a thumbs up at a soldier’s grave.
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Former Republican Congressman Adam Kinzinger, who served as a lieutenant colonel in the Air National Guard, commented on Trump’s attitude — and pointed out the irony of his presence at the ceremony.
Kinzinger wrote: “Smiling with a thumbs up to the grave is unusual to say the least. It doesn’t matter that Trump negotiated the ‘deal’ and this is the reason we left.”
Although Trump has done so repeatedly tried to blame the withdrawal of troops Joe Biden And Kamala Harrisit was his administration that negotiated the deal to withdraw US troops from Afghanistan before he left office.
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Trump was labeled ‘disgraceful’ because of the photos on X.
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Anti-MAGA group The Lincoln Project also shared a photo of Trump with the family of a fallen soldier posing at the grave on X.
The photo shows Trump in his usual navy blue suit and red tie, grinning from ear to ear as he gives a thumbs up to the camera.
The Lincoln Project captioned the post: “Trump today with thumbs up at a soldier’s grave. Shameful.”
One user replied: “Trump is VILE.”
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As social media users criticized the 2024 Republican presidential candidate Because they took a photo of the ceremony, news broke that two members of Trump’s campaign were involved in an altercation with Arlington National Cemetery staff.
A source with direct knowledge of the incident said the official was trying to prevent the campaign from filming and taking photos in Section 60, where only authorized cemetery staff are allowed to do so.
When the official tried to prevent the campaign from entering Section 60 to film and take photos, Trump campaign officials verbally assaulted and pushed the cemetery official, according to reports NPR.
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Two Trump campaign officials were also reportedly involved in a physical altercation with an Arlington National Cemetery official.
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Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung denied reports of the altercation.
Cheung said in a statement: “The fact is that a private photographer was allowed onto the premises and for whatever reason an unnamed individual, who was clearly suffering from mental illness, decided to physically block members of President Trump’s team during a very solemn ceremony. ”
Despite Cheung’s denial, Arlington National Cemetery announced that it “can confirm there was an incident” and that “a report has been filed.”
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Arlington National Cemetery added: “Federal law prohibits political campaigning or election-related activities within Army National Military Cemeteries, including photographers, content creators, or other persons present for purposes of, or in direct support of, the campaign of a partisan political candidate.
“Arlington National Cemetery has reinforced and widely shared this law and its prohibitions with all participants.”
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