CNN
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Former President Donald Trump’s marketing campaign stirred new controversy this week throughout a go to to Arlington Nationwide Cemetery that was meant to attract consideration to the chaotic US withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.
A person bodily blocked Trump’s crew from accompanying him in the course of the Monday go to, two Trump marketing campaign officers mentioned. A cemetery spokesperson confirmed to CNN “there was an incident” and a “report was filed” however didn’t present additional particulars.
Trump was visiting the cemetery following a wreath laying to honor 13 US navy service members who had been killed at Kabul airport’s Abbey Gate. Monday marked three years because the tragedy.
In a post on Reality Social, Trump appeared to counsel the incident stemmed from his marketing campaign’s use of pictures, sharing an announcement from the members of the family of the fallen troopers expressing their approval.
“We had given our approval for President Trump’s official videographer and photographer to attend the occasion, guaranteeing these sacred moments of remembrance had been respectfully captured and so we will cherish these reminiscences eternally,” the households mentioned.
However in keeping with an announcement from Arlington Nationwide Cemetery obtained by CNN, federal regulation prohibits political marketing campaign or election-related actions inside Military Nationwide Navy Cemeteries.
The cemetery mentioned it “strengthened and broadly shared this regulation and its prohibitions with all individuals” which incorporates “photographers, content material creators or every other individuals attending for functions, or in direct assist of a partisan political candidate’s marketing campaign.”
Trump’s publish got here after a report from NPR a few “verbal and bodily altercation.” A supply with information of the incident instructed the outlet {that a} cemetery official tried to forestall Trump’s crew from photographing and filming within the space the place current US casualties are buried. In response, Trump marketing campaign employees “verbally abused and pushed the official apart,” in keeping with NPR.
Trump spokesperson Steven Cheung disputed claims of a bodily altercation, however mentioned an unnamed particular person determined to “bodily block members of President Trump’s crew throughout a really solemn ceremony.”
Cheung instructed Trump’s crew has video to again up the declare.
Trump marketing campaign supervisor Chris LaCivita shared the same account with CNN. “President Trump was there on the invitation of the Abbey Gate Gold Star Households to honor their family members who gave the final word sacrifice for his or her nation,” LaCivita mentioned.
“For a despicable particular person to bodily forestall President Trump’s crew from accompanying him to this solemn occasion is a shame and doesn’t should characterize the hallowed grounds of Arlington Nationwide Cemetery,” LaCivita continued.
This story has been up to date with extra data.