Trump entourage accused of shoving staff at hallowed US military cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery confirmed there had been an ‘incident’ at the location, after the presidential candidate’s visit on Monday
Donald Trump was embroiled in controversy Wednesday after a report that his entourage shoved staff during a politicised visit to the United States’ most hallowed resting place for its war dead.
National Public Radio reported late the previous day that an Arlington National Cemetery official tried to prevent the Republican’s aides from filming and photographing in a section where those killed in recent wars are buried – and where filming is banned.
Trump staffers responded by shoving and verbally abusing the employee, the report said.
Arlington National Cemetery confirmed on Wednesday there had been an “incident” at the location, after the 78-year-old Republican presidential candidate’s visit on Monday.
Accompanied by top election aides, Trump was taking part in a wreath-laying with family members of some of the 13 service members killed in Kabul in 2021 during the desperate last hours of the US pull-out from Afghanistan, ending a 20-year war against the Taliban.
Trump was invited to the ceremony by the families. He has made criticism of President Joe Biden’s handling of the final US retreat from Afghanistan a keynote of his re-election campaign, arguing that he would have managed the withdrawal in the face of a sudden and complete Taliban victory better.
