Donald Trump has finally addressed the controversy surrounding his recent visit to Arlington National Cemetery. The ‘controversial’ gestures (giving thumbs up and smiling) were made at the graves of soldiers who died during the 2021 U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
The criticism escalated following a heated altercation between Trump campaign staff and cemetery officials. What initially seemed like a strong move for the Republicans ahead of the elections has since turned into a debacle. Now, the former president has opened up about the situation.
Trump responds to Arlington Cemetery debacle
On Thursday, Donald Trump shared what led to his sudden visit and the photos taken during the event. After visiting Virginia to lay a wreath marking the third anniversary of the deaths of 13 American soldiers, the former president clarified that he had been invited by Gold Star Families and requested to take photos alongside them. Trump made it clear that he’s not into the whole ‘publicity’ thing.
“Those families that asked me to be there. So I went,” the presidential hopeful said during a rally in Michigan. “ So I went. And while we were there, they said, Could you take pictures over the grave of my son, my sister, my brother? Would you take pictures with us, sir? I said, Absolutely, I did,” he added.
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Earlier, netizens slammed him for being insensitive and rude towards the soldiers and their families for smiling at their graves. Fans of the MAGA movement cheered him for being supportive of the soldiers’ families, but critics saw it as just another tactic in his campaign instead of a real tribute.
U.S. Army confirms an employee was pushed aside
Earlier in the day, a U.S. Army spokesperson confirmed to NBC News that those participating in the event had been made aware of federal rules, which strictly prohibit any kind of political activities on cemetery grounds. The spokesperson also confirmed that an employee was pushed aside while trying to enforce these rules. According to the Army, the employee ‘acted with professionalism and avoided further disruption.
“This all comes out of Washington, just like all of these prosecutors come out of Washington. These are bad people we’re dealing with,” Trump added to his speech during the Michigan rally.
Trump’s campaign filmed the gravesite without permission
According to an NBC report, a family member of one of the fallen soldiers believes that the Trump campaign filmed his gravesite without permission. Another news source, the Associated Press, mentioned that Trump’s team got a heads-up not to snap pictures in that area due to security concerns. If this is true, the Republican group didn’t listen to those instructions.
