What did Trump do at Arlington Cemetery? Photo controversy, explained
Controversy continues over former President Donald Trump’s visit to Arlington National Cemetery on Monday after reports of an altercation between Trump's campaign staff and a cemetery official, who apparently tried to prevent picture-taking in the cemetery’s Section 60, where photography is restricted.
Trump visited the cemetery in observance of the deaths of 13 U.S. troops in the Abbey Gate attacks during the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021.
Learn more: Army defends cemetery official.
A member of Trump's team pushed his way past the official in Section 60, allowing photography to proceed, Paste BN reported. Photos of Trump, family members of slain soldiers, and others were taken at military gravesites and later appeared on social media.
Members of the military, Democrats, and others criticized Trump for what they said was using the cemetery for political purposes, a violation of federal law.
What did Trump do at Arlington National Cemetery?
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That morning, Trump placed three wreaths at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, also known as the Tomb of the Unknowns. The wreaths were placed in honor of those who died in the Afghanistan suicide bombing:
◾ Marine Corps Sgt. Nicole L. Gee, 23, of Sacramento, California.
◾ Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Darin T. Hoover, 31, of Salt Lake City.
◾ The third wreath honored all 13 military members – 11 Marines, one Navy corpsman, and one Army sergeant – who died in the attack.
Trump then moved on to the cemetery's Section 60.
What is Section 60 at Arlington National Cemetery?
Section 60 is a 14-acre parcel of the cemetery. It's mostly reserved for veterans of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Arlington National Cemetery is under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Army. Arlington officials require permits for media and other organizations to photograph or record inside the cemetery.
While individual visitors are allowed to take pictures, federal law bans videos or photographs for "partisan, political or fundraising purposes."
Prohibited activities include “photographers, content creators or any other persons attending for purposes, or in direct support of a partisan political candidate’s campaign," Paste BN reported.
What happened in Section 60?
Trump visited Section 60 with Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, a Republican who is running for reelection in 2024, and bereaved family members who wanted Trump there, the Washington Post reported. Media reporters and photographers were kept away from the section.
Trump laid bouquets at the headstones of two Marines, Sgt. Nicole Gee and Staff Sgt. Darin Hoover and Army Staff Sgt. Ryan Knauss. Family members accompanied him.
NPR was the first to report that Trump campaign staffers were filming in Section 60. A cemetery official attempted to prevent Trump staffers from entering the section, but "campaign staff verbally abused and pushed the official aside, according to the source," NPR wrote, citing an unnamed source with knowledge of the incident.
A senior Defense Department official familiar with the incident at Arlington National Cemetery told Paste BN it was a minor altercation. No charges have been filed.
Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung told Paste BN that there was "no physical altercation as described."
Three of the 13 U.S. troops who died in the Afghan suicide attack are buried at Arlington. The other 10 are buried in cemeteries near their hometowns.
Contributing: Rachel Barber, Josh Meyer, Zac Anderson, Tom Vanden Brook, Dan Morrison, Kinsey Crowley, Paste BN
SOURCE Paste BN Network reporting and research; Reuters; arlingtoncemetery.mil