US vice-president Kamala Harris said former president Donald Trump “disrespected sacred ground” at Arlington National Cemetery, where the Republican nominee took and distributed images despite a federal prohibition on campaign activity on the grounds.
In a statement posted on Saturday on the social media platform X, Ms Harris cited reports that Mr Trump’s campaign aides created an altercation with a cemetery staffer and proceeded to take photographs and film the former president, including at the graves of Afghanistan war veterans after being warned about rules at the site.
“Let me be clear: the former president disrespected sacred ground, all for the sake of a political stunt,” the vice-president said, calling Arlington a “solemn place where we come together to honour American heroes ... not a place for politics.”
The original incident stemmed from Mr Trump’s and Republicans’ continued criticism of President Joe Biden and now Ms Harris for the chaotic US withdrawal from Afghanistan.
At the invitation of some family members of service members killed during the withdrawal, Mr Trump laid wreaths on Monday in honour of Sgnt Nicole Gee, Staff Sgnt Darin Hoover and Staff Sgnt Ryan Knauss.
They were among 13 US service members and more than 100 Afghans who died during a bombing at Hamid Karzai International Airport on August 26th, 2021.
[ Kamala Harris says Donald Trump ‘disrespected sacred ground’ at Arlington eventOpens in new window ]
Mr Trump’s campaign was warned about not taking photographs before an altercation at the cemetery, according to defence officials.
Officials have said since that an Arlington employee two that Trump campaign staff members allegedly “verbally abused and pushed” has declined to press charges.
The Trump campaign has since lashed out at Pentagon officials with campaign adviser Chris LaCivita referring to military spokespeople as “hacks.”
Trump campaign officials say it had permission to bring someone to take video.
Since Mr Biden ended his re-election bid, Mr Trump has been zeroing in on Democratic rival Ms Harris and her roles in foreign policy decisions. He has specifically highlighted the vice-president’s statements that she was the last person in the room before Mr Biden made the decision on Afghanistan.
Mr Biden’s administration was following a withdrawal commitment and timeline that the Trump administration had negotiated with the Taliban in 2020.
A 2022 review by a government-appointed special investigator concluded decisions made by both Trump and Biden were the key factors leading to the rapid collapse of Afghanistan’s military and the Taliban takeover.
On Saturday, Ms Harris alluded to Mr Trump’s history of picking fights with veterans and repeated allegations that he “called our fallen service members ‘suckers’ and ‘losers’ and disparaged Medal of Honor recipients.”
“This is a man who is unable to comprehend anything other than service to himself,” Ms Harris said. “I will always honour the service and sacrifice of all of America’s fallen heroes. And I will never politicise them.”