What’s the controversy over Trump’s Arlington cemetery visit about?

What was supposed to be a simple photo op for Donald Trump at the Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia on August 26 has now snowballed into a political controversy, with the Republican presidential candidate sparring with his Democratic challenger Kamala Harris, who accused Trump of disrespecting “sacred ground, all for the sake of a political stunt”.

Controversy has followed since Trump participated in a wreath-laying ceremony to pay tribute to the 13 US service members who were killed in the Kabul airport bombing in 2021.

The videos and photos that Trump used from the trip in a recent campaign video posted on his TikTok account have drawn criticism.

According to US federal law, campaign activity is prohibited around or near military cemeteries.

What happened?

It isn’t just the Trump campaign’s use of the cemetery visit for political purposes that has attracted scrutiny. The army has confirmed that Trump campaign staff “pushed aside” a cemetery worker, who attempted to stop photographing and filming in the vicinity of service members’ graves.

There is no known recorded video of the confrontation between the cemetery worker and the Trump campaign aides.

In a statement, the army criticised the Trump campaign.

“Participants in the August 26th ceremony and the subsequent Section 60 visit were made aware of federal laws, Army regulations and DoD policies, which clearly prohibit political activities on cemetery grounds. An ANC employee who attempted to ensure adherence to these rules was abruptly pushed aside,” an army spokesperson said in the statement.

What have Trump and Harris said?

The Trump campaign defended the visit saying he received permission from the families to film the grave of the fallen soldiers. It disputes that there was a physical altercation with the cemetery staff.

“Neither the families nor President Trump violated cemetery regulations or policies,” the Trump campaign sent out a statement via Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton, an army veteran and Trump supporter, on Saturday.

The Harris campaign criticised the former president in a lengthy post on X, saying the cemetery is a solemn place and “not a place for politics”.

“If there is one thing on which we as Americans can all agree, it is that our veterans, military families, and service members should be honored, never disparaged, and treated with nothing less than our highest respect and gratitude,” Vice President Harris stated.

“And it is my belief that someone who cannot meet this simple, sacred duty should never again stand behind the seal of the President of the United States of America.”