CNN
—
Former President Donald Trump’s campaign sparked fresh controversy this week with a visit to Arlington National Cemetery, intended to draw attention to a tumultuous US withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.
Two Trump campaign officials said a man physically blocked Trump’s entourage from accompanying him during Monday’s visit. A cemetery spokeswoman confirmed to CNN that “an incident occurred” and “a report has been filed,” but did not provide further details.
Trump visited the grave after laying a wreath at the Abbey Gate of Kabul Airport for the 13 slain US soldiers. Monday marked three years since the tragedy.
A Position In The Truth Community, Trump appeared to fuel the incident with his campaign’s use of a photo, sharing a statement from family members of fallen soldiers.
“We have given our permission to have President Trump’s official videographer and photographer attend the event to ensure these solemn memorial moments are respectfully captured so that we can cherish these memories forever,” the family said.
But federal law prohibits political campaigning or election-related activities inside military national military cemeteries, according to a statement obtained by CNN from Arlington National Cemetery.
Graves said it “reinforced and widely shared this law and its prohibitions with all participants,” including “photographers, content creators, or other persons participating for purposes or in direct support of a partisan political candidate’s campaign.”
It came after Trump’s inauguration Report About “Verbal and Physical Conflict” from NPR. A source familiar with the incident told the outlet that a cemetery official tried to prevent Trump’s group from taking photos and filming in the area where the latest American casualties were buried. In response, Trump campaign staffers “verbally abused and pushed the official aside,” NPR reported.
Trump spokesman Steven Cheung denied claims of a physical altercation, but said an unnamed man decided to “physically restrain members of President Trump’s entourage during a very solemn ceremony.” Cheung suggested the Trump team had video to back up the claim.
Trump campaign manager Chris Lacivita shared a similar account with CNN, saying, “President Trump came to Abbey Gate at the invitation of Gold Star families to honor their loved ones who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.”
“A despicable person physically blocking President Trump’s entourage from accompanying him to this solemn event is disgraceful and unworthy of representing the empty grounds of Arlington National Cemetery. Whoever this person is, spreading these lies disrespects the men and women of our armed forces, and all those who have paid the price to protect our country. They do,” Lacivita continued.
Trump’s partner, Sen. JT Vance dismissed the incident as a “small disagreement” and said the families “called (Trump) to be there and support them.”
“There is verifiable evidence that the campaign was allowed to have a photographer there,” Vance told reporters Wednesday in Erie, Pennsylvania, where he is campaigning. “Three years ago there was verifiable evidence that the families of these poor people who had their loved ones on Abbey Road died — sorry, Abbey Gate. Those 13 Americans, many of them with the President.
Representative Jerry Connolly, a Virginia Democrat, called for the Arlington Cemetery leadership to publicly release a report on the incident, casting doubt on Trump’s motives and calling his team’s behavior “disgusting and shameful.”
“I am asking Arlington Cemetery to make public all that happened yesterday so the American people can be assured that the ground where our nation’s heroes are buried will not be desecrated by a man without service and sacrifice,” the congressman said.
This story has been updated with additional updates and includes a full statement from Trump’s campaign manager.
CNN’s Kit Maher contributed to this report.
