Former President Trump defended his conduct at Arlington Nationwide Cemetery at a marketing campaign cease in Pennsylvania Friday, saying he was not simply making an attempt to get publicity for his look marking the anniversary of the 2021 Kabul airport assault that killed 13 U.S. service members.
Trump, on the occasion in Johnston, Pa., mentioned the relations of these killed throughout the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan requested him to go to the cemetery as they honored their family members. He added that after the wreath-laying ceremony the households additionally requested him to accompany them to the graves and take an image with them.
“I wasn’t doing it for publicity. I get a lot of publicity,” the previous president mentioned. “I would like to get a lot less publicity. I’m the only guy that would hire a public relations agency to get less publicity.”
Trump additionally claimed that the accusation that he was utilizing the graves for public relations was “put out by the White House,” calling it a “disgrace” as he accused President Biden of being guilty for the service members’ deaths over his dealing with of the Afghanistan withdrawal.
However the cemetery itself confirmed that an incident came about, and a report was filed because of this. NPR first reported that an official for the cemetery and Trump marketing campaign employees members had a confrontation when the employees member tried to cease the crew from photographing and filming part of the cemetery generally known as Part 60 — the place not too long ago killed troopers who served in Afghanistan and Iraq are buried.
That part can be closed to press.
A supply instructed the outlet that the staffers pushed the official apart as they tried to cease them from getting into.
“Federal law prohibits political campaign or election-related activities within Army National Military Cemeteries, to include photographers, content creators or any other persons attending for purposes or in direct support of a partisan political candidate’s campaign,” the cemetery mentioned in a press release.
“Arlington National Cemetery reinforced and widely shared this law and its prohibitions with all participants. We can confirm there was an incident, and a report was filed,” they added, with out offering extra particulars.
Steven Cheung, the Trump marketing campaign communications director, denied that any bodily altercation came about.
“The fact is that a private photographer was permitted on the premises and for whatever reason an unnamed individual, clearly suffering from a mental health episode, decided to physically block members of President Trump’s team during a very solemn ceremony,” he mentioned after the reported incident.
Cheung additionally posted a message he obtained on social media platform X that he mentioned confirmed that Trump was allowed to have a photographer and videographer current.
The Trump marketing campaign additionally shared a press release from relations of two of the service members that mentioned, “The president and his team conducted themselves with nothing but the utmost respect and dignity for all of our service members, especially our beloved children.”
The previous president mentioned on the rally that he’s “so happy” that the relations took footage of him and them collectively on the tombstones. He additionally praised those that defended him in saying that they requested him to go to the graves with them.
“They said we asked him to be here, and we want him to be there always,” Trump mentioned. “And I just think that’s great, and we love you all.”
