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Trump faces fresh backlash as he posts campaign video from controversial
Arlington National Cemetery visit

Former president has sparked fury after he was, firstly, captured posing
with his thumbs up and smiling at a soldier�s grave and, secondly, two of
his campaign staffers were accused of verbally abusing and pushing a
cemetery official
Donald Trump posts a campaign video of his controversial visit to Arlington
National Cemetery

Donald Trump is facing a fresh wave of backlash over his controversial
incident at Arlington National Cemetery on Monday, after he posted a
campaign video on TikTok featuring footage from the visit.

This week, the former president has sparked fury from veterans, military
groups, and soldiers� families after he was, firstly, captured posing with
his thumbs up and smiling at a soldier�s grave and, secondly, two of his
campaign staffers were accused of verbally abusing and pushing a cemetery
official.

Now, Trump is under fire for turning the anniversary of the deaths of
fallen American servicemen into a campaign video with social media users
branding it �disgusting.�

The video shows clips of Trump walking past graves and through the
cemetery, holding his hand to his heart in front of the Tomb of the Unknown
Soldier, where he also lay a wreath.

He is also seen laying flowers on the graves of the 13 service members
killed in the 2021 terror attack at Abbey Gate outside Kabul Airport,
posing with their family members for photos.

The video, complete with viral, solemn music, has a voiceover of the former
president describing the tragic loss of the 13 American lives.
Donald Trump gave a thumbs up at the grave of a soldier at Arlington
National Cemetery
Donald Trump gave a thumbs up at the grave of a soldier at Arlington
National Cemetery (Utah Governor Spencer Cox)

�We lost 13 great, great people. What a horrible day it was,� he says,
before turning on President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris,
blaming them for the chaotic withdrawal.

�We didn�t lose one person in 18 months,� he says. �And then they took over
that disaster � the leaving of Afghanistan.�

Trump instantly sparked backlash over his visit after he was pictured
smiling and flashing a thumbs up next to the graves of fallen soldiers.

His campaign then faced further controversy when NPR first reported that
two of his staffers had got into a physical altercation with a cemetery
official.

Arlington National Cemetery confirmed in a statement to The Independent
that �there was an incident, and a report was filed.�

A source told NPR that the cemetery official tried to stop the two campaign
staffers from filming and photographing in a section of the cemetery known
as Section 60, where recent US casualties are buried.

Arlington officials had reportedly made it clear to the Trump campaign
beforehand that only cemetery staff are authorized to photograph or film in
the area.
Donald Trump lays a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington
National Cemetery on Monday
Donald Trump lays a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington
National Cemetery on Monday (AP)

But when the official tried to stop Trump�s team from entering Section 60,
the staffers allegedly verbally abused and pushed the official aside, the
source said.

The New York Times has since named Trump�s press secretary Steven Cheung
and campaign co-manager Chris LaCivita as the two campaign staffers
involved in the incident.

When reached for comment by The Independent when the story emerged, Cheung
denied there had been any physical altercation and vowed to release video
to back it up.

He also suggested the official who tried to block the staffers from
entering Section 60 was �clearly suffering from a mental health episode.�

Trump�s running mate JD Vance tried to speak out in support of the GOP
presidential candidate at a Pennsylvania rally on Wednesday, claiming the
alleged altercation is �the media creating a story where I really don�t
think there is one� and wildly turning on Harris saying she �can go to
hell.�

�You�re acting like filmed a TV commercial at a gravesite,� the Ohio
senator said.

�He was there providing emotional support to brave Americans who lost loved
ones and there happened to be a camera there.�

Social media users quickly schooled Vance that his running mate had indeed
made some kind of promotional video.
JD Vance said Kamala Harris can �go to hell� during a campaign stop in
Erie, Pennsylvania on Wednesday
JD Vance said Kamala Harris can �go to hell� during a campaign stop in
Erie, Pennsylvania on Wednesday (Getty Images)

�There just happened to be a camera there. What a coincidence!� wrote one X
user.

�HE FILMED A TV COMMERCIAL AT A GRAVESITE,� chimed in another.

Other social media users also slammed Trump over the campaign video for
turning the cemetery stop into a plug for his 2024 bid.

�This is sick!� one person posted on X.

�Narrator: He literally filmed a commercial at a gravesite,� added another
person.

Another social media user chimed in: �What makes you say Trump�s visit to
Arlington was a campaign stunt?� HOW ABOUT THE VIDEO THEY ILLEGALLY
PRODUCED & HE HIMSELF POSTED ON TIKTOK! TRUMP IS A DISGRACE!�

Trump�s own former secretary of defense, Mark Esper, told CNN he believes
the incident involving Trump�s campaign staff at Arlington �should be
investigated�.