The Making of the President 2024: The Arlington Incident
On August 26, 2024 a ceremony was held at Arlington National Cemetery at which former President Donald Trump was visiting the cemetery for a wreath laying ceremony to honor thirteen US military service members who were killed at Kabul airport’s Abbey Gate after US troops withdrew from the region three years ago in 2021. Family members of the fallen soldiers expressing their approval for the former President to attend the ceremony and for his official videographer and photographer to attend the event, in order that their moments of remembrance were recorded.
The problem with this was that Arlington National Cemetery and federal law prohibits political campaign or election-related activities within Army National Military Cemeteries. Officials for the cemetery said that it "widely shared this law and its prohibitions with all participants,” which includes “photographers, content creators or any other persons attending for purposes, or in direct support of a partisan political candidate’s campaign.”
The following day, NPR reported that a “verbal and physical altercation” had taken place after a cemetery official attempted to prevent Trump’s team from photographing and filming in the area where recent US casualties are buried. The report claimed that members of the Trump campaign staff “verbally abused and pushed the official aside.”
The incident was denied by the Trump Campaign. Trump spokesperson Steven Cheung disputed claims of a physical altercation, but said an unnamed individual decided to “physically block members of President Trump’s team during a very solemn ceremony.” Cheung suggested that Trump’s team has video to back up the claim. Trump campaign manager Chris LaCivita said in a statement that “President Trump was there on the invitation of the Abbey Gate Gold Star Families to honor their loved ones who gave the ultimate sacrifice for their country.” The statement went on to attack the cemetery official, stating:
“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 [sic] grounds of Arlington National Cemetery. Whoever this individual is spreading these lies are dishonoring the men and women of our armed forces, and they are disrespecting everyone who paid the price for defending our country."
On August 29, The US Army issued a stark rebuke of former President Donald Trump’s presidential campaign over this incident. The statement said that the participants in the ceremony “were made aware of federal laws” regarding political activity at the cemetery, and “abruptly pushed aside” an employee of the cemetery. The statement went on to say:
“Participants in the August 26th ceremony and the subsequent Section 60 visit were made aware of federal laws, Army regulations and DoD policies, which clearly prohibit political activities on cemetery grounds. An ANC employee who attempted to ensure adherence to these rules was abruptly pushed aside,” the Army spokesperson said in the statement on Thursday. Section 60 is an area in the cemetery largely reserved for the graves of those who served in Iraq and Afghanistan.
“This incident was unfortunate, and it is also unfortunate that the ANC employee and her professionalism has been unfairly attacked. ANC is a national shrine to the honored dead of the Armed Forces, and its dedicated staff will continue to ensure public ceremonies are conducted with the dignity and respect the nation’s fallen deserve."
The Army spokesperson said that the incident was reported to the police department at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, but the employee in question “decided not to press charges” so the Army “considers this matter closed.”
Some veterans groups have also spoken out about the Trump campaign conducting political activity at Arlington. Charlie Iacono, the president and CEO of the Green Beret Foundation, said "Every soul laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery and other military cemeteries across the globe deserve to have the policies that honor them upheld and the appropriate protocols followed, ensuring that their legacies are never forgotten.”
Allison Jaslow, the CEO of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, said in a statement that there are “plenty of places appropriate for politics - Arlington is not one of them. Any aspiring elected official, especially one who hopes to be Commander in Chief, should not be confused about that fact, nor should they hide behind members of our community to justify politicking on such sacred ground."