Trump Blasted for Grinning and Flashing 'Disgraceful' Thumbs-Up at Soldiers' Graves — After 'Bust-Up' With His Aides at Arlington Cemetery
Donald Trump has faced backlash for using Arlington National Cemetery as a photo op.
Aug. 28 2024, Published 1:30 p.m. ET
Donald Trump has been accused of using the hallowed grounds of Arlington National Cemetery as a political photo op.
The ex-president has faced backlash for smiling and giving a thumbs-up for photos at the gravesite of fallen soldiers who were killed in the 2021 withdrawal of U.S. troops in Afghanistan, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Adding to the scrutiny of the "disgraceful" visit, one of Trump's aides reportedly got into a physical altercation with a cemetery official who attempted to stop the campaign from filming and taking photos in the area known as Section 60.
Trump visited Arlington National Cemetery on the third anniversary of the terrorist attack at Kabul Airport – where 13 U.S. soldiers were killed.
Trump, 78, was in Arlington, Virginia, to lay a wreath on the third anniversary of the terrorist attack at Abbey Gate at Kabul Airport, during which 13 U.S. soldiers were killed.
After photos and videos of the event went viral on social media, users quickly noticed Trump's "unusual" demeanor during the solemn ceremony.
Former lawmakers and social media users slammed Trump for grinning and doing a thumbs-up at a soldier's gravesite.
Former Republican Congressman Adam Kinzinger, who served as a lieutenant colonel in the Air National Guard, remarked on Trump's pose – and pointed out the irony of his presence at the ceremony.
Kinzinger wrote: "Smiling thumbs up at the grave is unusual, to say the least. Never mind that Trump negotiated the 'deal' and is the reason we left."
Though Trump has repeatedly tried to blame the withdrawal of troops on Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, it was his administration who negotiated the deal to pull U.S. troops out of Afghanistan before he left office.
Trump was branded "disgraceful" over the photos on X.
Anti-MAGA group The Lincoln Project also shared a photo of Trump with the family of a fallen solider posing at the gravesite on X.
In the photo, Trump can be seen in his usual navy blue suit and red tie and grinning from ear-to-ear while flashing a thumbs-up to the camera.
The Lincoln Project captioned the post: "Trump today with thumbs up at the grave of a soldier. Disgraceful."
One user replied: "Trump is VILE."
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As social media users criticized the 2024 Republican presidential nominee for turning the ceremony into a photo op, news broke two members of Trump's campaign were involved in an altercation with Arlington National Cemetery staff.
A source with direct knowledge of the incident said the official attempted to stop the campaign from filming and taking photos in Section 60 where only authorized cemetery staff are allowed to do so.
Upon the official attempting to prevent the campaign from entering Section 60 to film and take photos, Trump campaign aides verbally attacked and pushed the cemetery official, according to NPR.
Two Trump campaign aides were also said to be involved in a physical altercation with an Arlington National Cemetery official.
Steven Cheung, the Trump campaign's spokesperson, denied reports of the altercation.
Cheung said in a statement: "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."
Despite Cheung's denial, Arlington National Cemetery announced it "can confirm there was an incident" and "a report was filed".
Arlington National Cemetery added: "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.
"Arlington National Cemetery reinforced and widely shared this law and its prohibitions with all participants."
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