Democrats see opening to attack Trump on military after Arlington altercation
Democrats and left-leaning veterans groups see an opening to attack former President Trump on his record with service members after an altercation between an Arlington National Cemetery staffer and members of the Trump campaign earlier this week.
Several Democratic lawmakers have already taken aim at Trump for the incident, which took place during a visit for a wreath-laying ceremony Monday, framing it as the latest example of the former president’s lack of respect for the military and those killed in war.
The dispute also gives Democrats a chance to flip the script after Republicans have hammered Vice President Harris’s running mate, Tim Walz, on his military record for the past few weeks.
“Arlington National Cemetery isn't a place for campaign photo-ops. It's a sacred resting place for American patriots,” Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-N.J.), a former Navy helicopter pilot, wrote on social platform X. “But for Donald Trump, disrespecting military veterans is just par for the course. It's an absolute disgrace.”
Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) called for the immediate release of materials related to the incident, saying it was “sad but all too expected that Donald Trump would desecrate this hallowed ground and put campaign politics ahead of honoring our heroes.”
And Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine), a former Marine, said Arlington is “sacred ground and all visitors should take the time to learn the rules of decorum that ensure the proper respect is given to the fallen and their families,” as reported by Axios.
An Army spokesperson confirmed Thursday that a cemetery employee was “abruptly pushed aside” while trying to enforce a political activity ban that prohibits campaign photography at the cemetery.
Trump was visiting the cemetery to commemorate the third anniversary of the 2021 Abbey Gate bombing in Kabul, Afghanistan, which killed 13 U.S. service members and hundreds of others.
Trump was there at the invitation of families of several of the service members killed in the attack. His campaign said it was granted permission to........
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