The campaign team of former US President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump was warned not to take photos before the confrontation during a wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery, the Associated Press (AP) reported on Thursday (August 29), citing a defense official.
Trump was invited to Arlington, a resting place for more than 400,000 soldiers, veterans and their families, by some of the families of the 13 soldiers who lost their lives in the bombing of Kabul airport three years ago.
The Republican presidential candidate faced fierce criticism after he was photographed smiling and giving a thumbs up at America’s most sacred cemetery. Internet users have since reacted to the image.
Earlier, NPR reported for a day, citing a relevant source, that two Trump campaign employees had “verbally abused and pushed aside” a cemetery official when he tried to prevent them from filming and taking photographs in Section 60, where military personnel killed in the Afghanistan and Iraq wars are buried.
The defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the Trump campaign team was initially warned not to take photos in Section 60 before arriving and engaging in the confrontation.
Cemetery officials react
However, cemetery officials responded to the request and issued a statement saying that “an incident” had occurred and a report had been filed. However, the statement did not provide any details about the incident and further declined to share the report.
“Federal law prohibits political campaign or election activities at Army military cemeteries, including photographers, content creators, or others who are there for that purpose or who directly support the campaign of a partisan political candidate,” cemetery officials said in a statement.
“Arlington National Cemetery has made this law and its prohibitions clear and widely publicized to all concerned. We can confirm that an incident occurred and a report was filed,” it said.
“Private photographers were allowed to enter the premises”
Trump’s spokesman Steven Cheung, however, said the Republican presidential candidate’s team was allowed to bring a photographer. He also denied the allegation that a campaign employee had pushed a cemetery official.
“The fact is that a private photographer was allowed onto the grounds, and for whatever reason, an unnamed individual, obviously suffering from a mental disorder, decided to physically block the path of members of President Trump’s team during a very solemn ceremony,” he said.
Watch | Former US President Donald Trump hints at rethinking debate
In addition, Chris LaCivita, a key adviser to Trump’s campaign, said the campaign released a message signed by the families of two soldiers killed in the bombing, saying: “The President and his team have behaved with nothing but the utmost respect and dignity toward all of our soldiers, especially our beloved children.”
In a statement, he said: “For a despicable individual to physically prevent President Trump’s team from accompanying him to this solemn event is disgraceful and does not deserve to represent the hollowed-out ground of Arlington National Cemetery. Whoever this individual is, spreading these lies dishonors the men and women of our armed forces.”
(With contributions from agencies)
