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Despite evidence, Trump calls Arlington Cemetery incident a “fabricated story”: NPR
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Despite evidence, Trump calls Arlington Cemetery incident a “fabricated story”: NPR

Former President Donald Trump looks on alongside Marlon Bateman, left, Marine Cpl. Kelsee Lainhart and U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Tyler Vargas-Andrews during a wreath laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery Aug. 26 to honor the lives of those who died in the Abbey Gate bombing in Afghanistan.

Former President Donald Trump looks on alongside Marlon Bateman, left, Marine Cpl. Kelsee Lainhart and U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Tyler Vargas-Andrews during a wreath laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery Aug. 26 to honor the lives of those who died in the Abbey Gate bombing in Afghanistan.

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Former President Donald Trump on Tuesday denied that there was any conflict or “fighting” during his visit to Arlington National Cemetery last week, calling it a “made-up story.” However, Army officials said one of their staff was “suddenly pushed aside” by Trump campaign staff.

β€œIt was a fabricated story by Comrade Kamala and her disinformation squad,” Trump said posted on his Truth Social website He uses the nickname he coined for Vice President Harris, the Democratic presidential candidate: “She made this all up to make up for the fact that she and Sleepy Joe have blood on their hands because of the INCOMPETENT withdrawal from Afghanistan – the most embarrassing day in the history of the United States!!!”

Meanwhile, members of Congress are demanding details about the incident. which NPR first reported.

Representative Jamie Raskin, the ranking Democrat on the House Oversight and Accountability Committee, wrote to Secretary of the Army Christine Wormuth requesting the incident report from Arlington and a briefing.

“Although the incident was reported to the Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall Police Department, reports indicate that the employee declined to file a report because she feared Trump supporters would retaliate against her,” Raskin wrote.

Senator Tim Kaine, a Democrat from Virginia, also said last week that he wanted the Army to release the incident report.

“This incident was unfortunate and it is equally unfortunate that the ANC employee and her professionalism were unfairly attacked,” Kaine said in a statement.

Harris issued a statement over the weekend saying Arlington Cemetery is “no place for politics.” She wrote that Trump had “disrespected sacred ground, and it was all for a political stunt.”

When President Biden was asked by reporters about the incident, he said, “I don’t want to answer because I might tell you what I think.”

Trump visited Arlington Cemetery on August 26 at the invitation of several Gold Star families whose loved ones were killed at the Abbey Gate of Kabul International Airport while U.S. troops were evacuating Afghan allies. Thirteen soldiers were killed when an Islamic State fighter detonated a bomb three years ago that also killed more than 170 Afghan civilians.

A statement from the Army said Trump campaign staff violated cemetery regulations and federal law by taking photos and videos in Section 60, where those killed in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq are buried.

“Participants in the August 26 ceremony and subsequent Section 60 visit were advised of federal law, Army regulations and DoD policies that clearly prohibit political activity on cemetery grounds,” the statement said. “An ANC employee who attempted to enforce compliance with these rules was abruptly pushed aside. Consistent with the decorum expected at the ANC, this employee conducted himself professionally and avoided further disruption.”

The Army’s statement added that the incident was closed because the employee did not file a complaint. NPR has identified the Trump campaign employees allegedly involved in the incident and reached out to them for comment, but they have not responded.

After the visit to Arlington, the Trump campaign team said the cemetery worker had “obviously suffered from a mental health episode” and promised to release footage of the encounter, but has so far declined to do so.

Chris LaCivita, a top adviser to Trump’s election campaign, also sharply attacked the cemetery worker.

“For a despicable individual to physically prevent President Trump’s team from accompanying him to this solemn event is disgraceful and does not deserve to represent the hollow ground of Arlington National Cemetery,” he said in a written statement, misspelling the word “sacred.” “Whoever this individual is, by spreading these lies, he dishonors the men and women of our armed forces.”

A source familiar with the incident said cemetery staff worked with the staff of Republican Congressman Brian Mast of Florida, who joined Trump in Arlington. Arlington cemetery staff were in direct contact with Mast’s chief of staff, James Langenderfer, and briefed him in detail on the rules, which, among other things, require no campaign rallies at the cemetery. They also reiterated that Section 60 only allows an official Arlington National Cemetery photographer — not a campaign photographer — to be used. The source said Langenderfer told them the Trump campaign agreed to those rules. NPR reached out to Mast’s staff to ask if Langenderfer had been briefed and passed that information on to the Trump campaign. They did not address the questions, instead releasing a statement saying, “President Trump did not engage in politics at Arlington National Cemetery.”

This is not the first time Trump has been accused of politicizing the military for his personal gain. He has reportedly called dead soldiers “suckers” and “losers,” insulted the late Senator John McCain as a prisoner of war, and recently courted controversy when he said civilian recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom are much better than those who received the Medal of Honor – the nation’s highest military award, which is often awarded posthumously.

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