Trump Denies Reports Issues Statement On Ceremony
Former President Donald Trump has flatly denied reports of an altercation between his campaign staff and Arlington National Cemetery officials, calling the story a fabrication meant to distract from the Biden-Harris administration’s failures in Afghanistan. The alleged incident occurred during a wreath-laying ceremony honoring 13 U.S. service members who died in the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan, a situation Trump has repeatedly criticized.
“There was no conflict or ‘fighting’ at Arlington National Cemetery last week. It was a made up story by Comrade Kamala and her misinformation squad,” Trump posted on social media Tuesday, directly pointing fingers at Vice President Kamala Harris.
He accused the administration of using this narrative as a smokescreen to cover what he described as their botched handling of the Afghanistan exit. “She and Sleepy Joe have BLOOD ON THEIR HANDS for the INCOMPETENT AFGHANISTAN Withdrawal – THE MOST EMBARRASSING DAY IN U.S. HISTORY!!!”
Trump was in attendance at the cemetery to pay tribute to the fallen soldiers, while President Joe Biden and Vice President Harris were notably absent. Trump further remarked, “They should have been at Arlington, not on a beach or studying for a Debate,” referring to the president's recent vacation and Harris’s preparations for the campaign trail.
Trump expressed gratitude toward the Gold Star families, whom he credited for ensuring the truth about the event was known, dismissing claims of any physical or verbal altercation as pure fiction.
The original report, first published by NPR, cited an unnamed source who claimed that Trump’s staff clashed with cemetery officials when a Trump team member attempted to take unauthorized photos in a restricted area. According to this account, the altercation began when the cemetery official reminded them of the cemetery’s rules against filming in sections where recent U.S. casualties are buried.
However, the Trump campaign pushed back on this narrative, stating that a private photographer had been permitted on the premises. Trump spokesman Steven Cheung argued that the confrontation arose when an individual, described as “clearly suffering from a mental health episode,” physically obstructed Trump’s team during what he called a "solemn ceremony."
The absence of Biden and Harris from the ceremony also drew significant criticism. Kelly Barnett, the Gold Star mother of Marine Staff Sgt. Taylor Hoover, one of the 13 service members killed during the withdrawal, spoke out on Fox News, revealing that both Biden and Harris had been invited to attend the ceremony but declined.
According to Barnett, Utah Governor Spencer Cox sent a formal letter to Biden, informing him of the event and urging his attendance. Arlington Cemetery officials also notified the White House, but no response was received.
Barnett expressed her disappointment in their decision, noting, “They knew that it would be in their best interest to be there, and they refused to attend.”