1 week Ago
Because I am a veteran, I have been asked what my take is on the incident involving former President Donald Trump at Arlington National Cemetery. It is a complicated matter, but here are some of the basic facts pertaining to this unfortunate situation: • One or more of the families of U.S.
military personnel who lost their lives as the U.S. was withdrawing from Afghanistan invited Former President Trump to join them at Arlington National Cemetery to lay a wreath in remembrance of their loved ones who died in Afghanistan at the hands of a suicide bomber three years ago.
• Former President Trump accepted their invitation. There was nothing illegal or inappropriate about his accepting the invitation. • There are differing views as to whether he did this simply to pay his respects to those who lost their lives or whether he saw this as a photo opportunity to promote his campaign (or a combination of both.
) • Problems arose, however, when Trump and those with him went to the section of the cemetery where some of the victims of the suicide bomber are buried (Section 60.) • Federal Law prohibits political campaign or election-related activities within Army National Military Cemeteries. An Arlington National Cemetery official informed Trump staff members of this prohibition.
• After a verbal altercation, a Trump staff member abruptly pushed the cemetery official aside. • The group entered the restricted area and started taking pictures. A photo posted by Utah Gov.
Spencer J. Cox, who was part of the group, shows the group standing by the tombstone of a Marine killed by the suicide bomber (as well as the tombstone of another Marine, whose family had not given permission for the photo shoot.) Former President Trump is smiling and giving a “thumbs up” gesture.
It is not clear what he meant by that gesture. • The incident was reported to U.S.
Army officials, who investigated the matter. After gathering the relevant information, the Army issued a sharp rebuke of the Trump campaign for violating the laws and policies with respect to Arlington National Cemetery and strongly defended the cemetery official who was pushed aside. • Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh stated that the Department of Defense is “aware of the statement that the Army issued, and we support what the Army said.
” • The cemetery official who was pushed aside chose not to file charges against the Trump campaign staff member who pushed her aside, fearing retaliation from Trump supporters. • Trump’s campaign manager responded by attacking the cemetery official who was pushed aside, describing her as “a despicable individual ..
. who does not deserve to represent the hollowed [sic] grounds of Arlington National Cemetery.” • Trump has stated that the incident at Arlington National Cemetery was a “made up story” spread by Vice President Harris and her allies, which flies in the face of the fact that the U.
S. Army investigation of the incident confirmed that it did happen. But Trump has never been a firm believer in facts.
So, what should one make of all of this? Who was right about what happened at Arlington National Cemetery? Trump? Or the Army investigative team that looked into the matter and, after collecting the relevant facts, sternly rebuked the Trump campaign for being disrespectful of the laws and regulations pertaining to the hallowed ground that is Arlington National Cemetery. There is no question in my mind as to who is right about what happened at Arlington National Cemetery. I am very happy that I had the opportunity to vote for Sen.
John McCain when he ran for the office that Trump is now seeking. He was a person of integrity. He was a person who knew what it was to sacrifice for the good of others.
He was a person for whom I have a high level of respect. As a veteran who could have avoided serving in the military by playing the deferment game but chose not to, I do not have a similar level of respect for Donald J. Trump, who avoided serving in the military by asking a physician who was a family friend to write a letter of questionable veracity saying that he had bone spurs (though when asked about it several years later he could not remember which foot had the bone spurs).
As a veteran, I have no respect for someone who on numerous occasions has made disparaging comments about those who have served in the military, including John McCain, whom Trump has referred to as a “loser.” Dan Lee, a regular columnist, is the Marian Taft Cannon Professor in the Humanities at Augustana College; [email protected] .
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