Vice President Kamala Harris on Saturday sharply criticized Donald Trump over the incident Monday during the former president’s visit to Arlington National Cemetery, saying that he “is unable to comprehend anything other than service to himself.”
Veterans, service members and their families “should be honored, never disparaged, and treated with nothing less than our highest respect and gratitude,” Harris wrote in a lengthy post on social media.
She continued: “It is my belief that someone who cannot meet this simple, sacred duty should never again stand behind the seal of the President of the United States of America.”
Trump has faced controversy over his visit to the cemetery after a wreath-laying ceremony to honor the 13 US service members who were killed in the Kabul airpot bombing in 2021. Trump campaign officials have said an individual physically blocked the former president’s team from accompanying him during the visit, and a cemetery spokesperson confirmed to CNN “there was an incident” and a “report was filed.”
The US Army issued a stark rebuke of Trump’s campaign over the incident, saying Thursday that 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.
Saturday’s statement marks the first time the vice president has directly addressed the controversy as she attempts to draw a contrast between herself and her rival ahead of their September 10 debate. Michael Tyler, the Harris campaign’s communications director, previously called the incident “pretty sad” in an interview on CNN but said it is what people have “come to expect from Donald Trump and his team.”
Christy Shamblin, the mother-in-law of Marine Corps. Sgt. Nicole Gee, who was killed at Kabul airport’s Abbey Gate in 2021, attended the Arlington event. Shamblin said Saturday that she hadn’t witnessed any altercation and that that the media should focus on the consequences of the Afghanistan withdrawal instead of the controversy over Trump’s visit.
“I understand that there may have been a little bit of a misunderstanding, but … let’s talk about the Americans and the Afghans we left behind. Let’s talk about the people we brought over that weren’t vetted. Let’s talk about the wounded, and that’s what we want to bring focus back to,” Shamblin said on CNN’s “Smerconish.”
The Trump campaign on Saturday sent out a statement from Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton, an Army veteran and Trump ally, defending the former president and attacking Army Secretary Christine Wormuth.
Cotton, who was not present during Trump’s trip to the cemetery, said “neither the families nor President Trump violated cemetery regulations or policies” and claimed the “political apparatchiks working for the incompetent secretary of the Army disrespected the wishes of these Gold Star families.”
Accounts of the incident on Monday have varied, with the campaign insisting there were no violations of the law, while cemetery officials have said Trump’s team was told ahead of time to avoid political activity. Federal law prohibits political campaigning or election-related activities within Army National Military Cemeteries, according to a statement from Arlington National Cemetery obtained by CNN.
A video of the visit posted by the Trump campaign on TikTok showed the former president walking through Arlington and visiting grave sites, with audio of him criticizing the Biden administration’s management of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan.
NPR first reported there had been a “verbal and physical altercation” during the cemetery visit. A source with knowledge of the incident told the outlet that a cemetery official attempted to prevent Trump’s team from photographing and filming in the area where recent US casualties are buried. In response, Trump campaign staff “verbally abused and pushed the official aside,” according to NPR.
An Army spokesperson said while the incident was reported to the police department at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, the employee in question “decided not to press charges” so the Army “considers this matter closed.”
CNN’s Kate Sullivan contributed to this report.
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