Trump defends Arlington visit, reacts to Harris' criticism

Former President Donald Trump has found himself at the center of controversy following his visit to Arlington National Cemetery, where he laid a wreath to honor the 13 servicemembers who lost their lives during the tumultuous withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.

The visit, however, has drawn sharp criticism from U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, who accused Trump of politicizing a sacred space.

Harris expressed her disapproval in a social media post, stating, “It is a solemn place; a place where we come together to honor American heroes who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service of this nation. It is not a place for politics.”

Her remarks came after footage of Trump’s visit was used in a campaign video, igniting outrage over the appropriateness of his actions in such a revered setting.

The vice president’s comments highlight a growing concern among some veterans and families of the fallen, who believe that political activities have no place in a cemetery dedicated to honoring those who served.

Trump’s visit included a stop at Section 60, an area regarded as hallowed ground by the military, where federal law and Pentagon policies explicitly prohibit political activities. Despite this, Trump’s campaign shared a TikTok video featuring moments from the cemetery, further fueling the backlash.

The U.S. Army has come to the defense of a cemetery employee who was reportedly pushed aside during Trump’s visit, asserting that she acted with professionalism and faced unfair criticism.

Harris reiterated her stance, declaring, “Let me be clear: the former president disrespected sacred ground, all for the sake of a political stunt.”

In response to the backlash, Trump took to the stage in Pennsylvania, claiming that the families of the fallen servicemembers had invited him to the cemetery.

“I got there and we had a ceremony,” he explained. “The families asked if he could come to the graves… I said, ‘Absolutely.’ So I was taking pictures at the grave.”

To counter Harris’s allegations, Trump shared videos on his Truth Social account featuring relatives of some of the fallen, who defended his actions.

Christy Shamblin, mother-in-law of Sergeant Nicole Gee, challenged Harris directly, asking, “Vice President Harris, why will you not express your condolences yourself? Why have we never heard from you?”

Adding fuel to the fire, Trump’s vice presidential pick, JD Vance, and press secretary Karoline Leavitt responded to Harris’s remarks by accusing her of insensitivity toward the servicemembers lost during the Afghanistan withdrawal.

As the third anniversary of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan looms, Trump has seized the moment to redirect blame toward President Joe Biden and, by extension, Harris.

The vice president, who has secured the Democratic nomination for the upcoming presidential election, utilized the opportunity to highlight Trump’s past derogatory comments about military veterans.

“This is nothing new from Donald Trump. This is a man who has called our fallen service members ‘suckers’ and ‘losers’ and disparaged Medal of Honor recipients,” she wrote, recalling Trump’s history of disrespect towards military figures.