Former President Donald Trump has refuted claims of any altercation during his recent visit to Arlington National Cemetery.
According to The Washington Examiner, Trump's statement comes in response to reports of an incident confirmed by the Army. The former president insists that the visit, which took place on the third anniversary of the Abbey Gate bombing in Afghanistan, was peaceful and respectful.
Trump's visit to the cemetery was at the invitation of Gold Star families, who have supported his appearance. The Army had previously stated that a cemetery employee was "abruptly pushed aside" while reminding participants of cemetery rules but declined to press charges. Trump has now taken to social media to address these claims and criticize the current administration's handling of the Afghanistan withdrawal.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump vehemently denied any conflict or fighting during his visit to Arlington National Cemetery. He characterized the reports as a fabrication by political opponents.
Trump stated:
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. She made it all up to make up for the fact that she and Sleepy Joe have BLOOD ON THEIR HANDS for the INCOMPETENT AFGHANISTAN Withdrawal — THE MOST EMBARRASSING DAY IN U.S. HISTORY!!!
The former president went on to criticize President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris for not being present at Arlington on the anniversary, suggesting they should have been there instead of preparing for debates or spending time on a beach.
Trump's visit to Arlington National Cemetery was primarily to honor the 13 U.S. service members killed in the 2021 Abbey Gate bombing during the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. The Gold Star families, who invited Trump, have defended his presence at the cemetery.
In his social media post, Trump expressed gratitude to these families, stating:
Thank you to my friends, the GREAT GOLD STAR FAMILIES, for revealing the TRUTH OF A BEAUTIFUL DAY OF HONOR. Could not have been a nicer moment — And there were no fights or problems, only in the heads of those that are destroying our Country!
The former president emphasized that the visit was a peaceful and respectful occasion, contrary to the reports of any disturbance.
While Trump visited Arlington National Cemetery to mark the third anniversary of the Abbey Gate bombing, the responses from the current administration were notably different. Both President Biden and Vice President Harris chose to release statements honoring the deceased U.S. service members but did not hold any public events on that day.
This difference in approach has been highlighted by Trump and his supporters. The former president used this contrast to criticize the current administration's handling of the Afghanistan withdrawal and their response to its anniversary.
Trump's campaign has also addressed the alleged incident at the cemetery. Steven Cheung, the Trump campaign communications director, downplayed the reports, stating that there was "no physical altercation" and suggesting that the cemetery staffer involved was "clearly suffering from a mental health episode."
Former President Donald Trump has denied any conflict during his recent visit to Arlington National Cemetery. He maintains that the visit, which honored fallen service members from the Afghanistan withdrawal, was peaceful and respectful. Trump criticized the current administration for their absence at the cemetery on the anniversary and their handling of the Afghanistan withdrawal. The contrasting approaches to commemorating the event have highlighted ongoing political tensions surrounding the issue of veteran and military family support.
