Trump campaign was warned not to take 'disgraceful' photo at Arlington cemetery

Washington, United States

Former United States President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump's campaign was warned not to take photographs at Arlington National Cemetery before the altercation, during a wreath-laying ceremony, reported the Associated Press (AP) citing a defence official, on Thursday (Aug 29). 

Trump was invited to Arlington, a resting place for over 400,000 service members, veterans and their families, by some of the families of the 13 service members who lost their lives in the Kabul airport bombing three years ago. 

The Republican presidential candidate has been facing severe criticism after he was seen giving a thumbs up and smiling pose in a photo at America's most sacred cemetery. Netizens have been reacting to the image since then. 

An anti-Trump group, The Lincoln Project, posted, "Trump today with thumbs up at the grave of a soldier. Disgraceful." 

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This comes a day after NPR reported, citing a relevant source, that two Trump campaign staff members "verbally abused and pushed" aside a cemetery official who tried to stop them from filming and photographing in Section 60, where the military personnel who were killed during the war of Afghanistan and Iraq, were buried. 

The defence official, on a condition of anonymity, discussed the matter and said that the Trump campaign was initially warned about not taking photographs in Section 60 before their arrival and the altercation. 

Cemetery officials respond

However, cemetery officials responded to the inquiry and shared a statement, stating, that “an incident” had occurred and a report had been filed, but it did not address details of what had happened. Moreover, they declined to share the report.

“Federal law prohibits political campaign or election-related activities within Army National Military Cemeteries, to include photographers, content creators or any other persons attending for purposes, or in direct support of a partisan political candidate’s campaign,” the cemetery officials’ statement said. 

“Arlington National Cemetery reinforced and widely shared this law and its prohibitions with all participants. We can confirm there was an incident, and a report was filed," it added. 

'Private photographer was permitted on the premises'

On the contrary, Trump's spokesperson Steven Cheung said the Republican presidential candidate's team was permitted to have a photographer. He further contested the allegation that a campaign staffer pushed a cemetery official. 

“The fact is that a private photographer was permitted on the premises and for whatever reason, an unnamed individual, clearly suffering from a mental health episode, decided to physically block members of President Trump’s team during a very solemn ceremony,” he said.

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Additionally, a key Trump campaign advisor, Chris LaCivita, said that the campaign posted a message signed by relatives of two of the service members killed in the bombing saying, “the president and his team conducted themselves with nothing but the utmost respect and dignity for all of our service members, 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 a disgrace and does not deserve to represent the hollowed grounds of Arlington National Cemetery. Whoever this individual is, spreading these lies is dishonouring the men and women of our armed forces.”

(With inputs from agencies)