Trump Campaign Staff Involved in Altercation at Arlington National Cemetery

WASHINGTON (AP) — An incident involving Donald Trump’s campaign staff occurred earlier this week at Arlington National Cemetery during a wreath-laying ceremony. JD Vance, Trump’s running mate, commented on the event at a campaign gathering in Erie, Pennsylvania, indicating that the media has escalated the situation into a national story.

The incident took place during a ceremony meant to honor service members who lost their lives during the Afghanistan War withdrawal. Reports suggest that two Trump campaign staff members had a confrontation with a cemetery official after being warned about taking photographs in a restricted area of Section 60, which is reserved for military personnel killed in recent conflicts.

The Defense Department confirmed that a warning against photography was issued prior to the campaign’s arrival at the cemetery. The altercation reportedly involved a cemetery official who attempted to prevent campaign staff from filming in the restricted area. The cemetery acknowledged that a report was filed but did not provide further details about the confrontation.

Federal law restricts campaigning activities in military cemeteries, including filming and photography. The official statement from the cemetery reinforced these limitations and confirmed that all participants in the ceremony had been informed of them.

In response to the allegations, Trump’s spokesperson, Steven Cheung, claimed that a private photographer was authorized to be present and dismissed allegations of physical confrontation. He referred to the cemetery employee as an “individual suffering from a mental health episode” who obstructed Trump’s team during the solemn event.

Chris LaCivita, a senior adviser for Trump’s campaign, defended the conduct of the campaign and emphasized that Trump was at Arlington to honor the families of service members killed in a terrorist attack three years ago. Support was voiced by family members of the fallen soldiers, who stated that Trump’s team acted with respect and dignity during the ceremony.

Michael Tyler, representing Trump’s opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris, criticized the campaign for prioritizing political activities over honoring military service members. Tyler expressed disappointment in Trump’s actions during the ceremony.

Democratic U.S. Representative Gerry Connolly from Virginia called for cemetery officials to release more details about the incident, describing Trump’s behavior as disrespectful to those honored at Arlington National Cemetery.