Former President Donald Trump’s campaign staffers had an altercation with an Arlington National Cemetery official on Monday, according to multiple reports, as the Republican presidential nominee attended a wreath-laying ceremony for service members killed in Afghanistan.
Former President Donald Trump attends a wreath laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at ... [+]
The incident was first reported by NPR, citing an unnamed source, who said the official tried to stop the former president’s staff from filming and photographing in a part of the cemetery where “recent U.S. casualties are buried.”
In response, two Trump campaign staffers “verbally abused and pushed” the official in question, the NPR report added.
The Arlington National Cemetery later confirmed to various media outlets that an “incident” had occurred during Trump’s visit on Monday and a “report was filed,” without providing additional details.
Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung dismissed the NPR report, saying there was no physical altercation, adding, “we are prepared to release footage if such defamatory claims are made.”
Cheung also claimed, without any additional details, that “an unnamed individual, clearly suffering from a mental health episode, decided to physically block members of President Trump's team.”
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In its statement to the press, the cemetery said: “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.”