Gold Star mom ‘surprised’ about Trump staff Arlington incident
- Trump staff got in an altercation with Arlington cemetery official: NPR
- Cemetery confirmed report, but Trump spokesman denies it happened
- Gold Star mom at ceremony says her experience that day was 'peaceful'
ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA – AUGUST 26: Republican presidential nominee, former U.S. President Donald Trump (2R) holds his hand over his heart alongside (L-R) Marlon Bateman, Marine Cpl. Kelsee Lainhart (Ret.) and U.S. Marine Corps. Sergeant Tyler Vargas-Andrews (Ret.) during a wreath-laying ceremony to honor the lives of those who died at the Abbey Gate Bombing, at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery on August 26, 2024 in Arlington, Virginia. Monday marks three years since the August 26, 2021, suicide bombing at Hamid Karzai International Airport, which killed 13 American service members. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
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(NewsNation) — Kelly Barnett, whose son was one of the 13 U.S. service members killed during the Afghanistan withdrawal, says she was “100% surprised” to hear about former President Donald Trump’s campaign staff having a “verbal and physical altercation” with an Arlington National Cemetery official during a recent visit.
Trump last Monday participated in a wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery honoring the service members killed during the withdrawal in 2021, including Barnett’s son.
Barnett told NewsNation her experience at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier that day was “so peaceful, so respectful, so quiet.”
“My heart was full,” Barnett recalled in a recent interview. “Everybody was respectful. Trump team, Arlington staff. We had no idea there was even anything going on, never heard anything, never saw anything.”
However, NPR reported that two members of Trump’s campaign staff got into an altercation with an Arlington National Cemetery official during the visit. A source told the news outlet that when the official tried to stop the staffers from filming and photographing in an area where service members are buried, the Trump staff “verbally abused and pushed the official aside.”
Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung disputed the report, but Arlington National Cemetery confirmed the incident had occurred and a report was filed on it.
“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,” the cemetery said.
Reuters contributed to this report.
