<body><div><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=3E9Ipu_0vEQNbNa00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3E9Ipu_0vEQNbNa00" width="1400" height="788" >MICHEL MARTIN, HOST: Former President Donald Trump shared a TikTok video including footage that raises questions about whether it violates federal law against using military cemeteries for campaign purposes.STEVE INSKEEP, HOST: That social media post is the way that he has used images taken amid grave sites at Arlington National Cemetery this week. Trump visited on Monday. And as NPR has reported, Trump campaign staffers had a physical altercation with an Arlington National Cemetery staffer who tried to reinforce the restriction. The campaign is now seeking to downplay that incident.MARTIN: In a minute, we'll get reaction to this story from a retired military chaplain. But first, NPR's Stephen Fowler is here to talk about the political implications of this incident. Good morning, Stephen.STEPHEN FOWLER, BYLINE: Good morning.MARTIN: So Trump was at Arlington Monday for a remembrance of the third anniversary of a suicide bombing in Afghanistan in which 13 U.S. service members were killed, and he posted a video about it online. So just remind us of what the controversy is about.FOWLER: There's three key things to note about the story, first broken by our colleague Quil Lawrence. One, a pair of Trump campaign staffers had a verbal and physical altercation with an Arlington staffer who tried to stop them from filming in a part of the cemetery known as Section 60 because it's against the rules. Two, federal law also prevents the use of cemeteries as backgrounds or props for political campaigns. Three, the Trump campaign did it anyways with pictures and now a TikTok video showing Trump and some family members of the deceased posing at headstones.MARTIN: And what are those family members saying?FOWLER: Well, in a statement from the Gold Star family members that invited Trump, they say they gave approval for his videographer and photographer to document the emotional moment. It's also important to note the family members who invited Trump also spoke at the Republican National Convention, like Cheryl Juels, who is the aunt of Sergeant Nicole Gee, one of the 13 service members killed in the attack at Abbey Gate. They used that time on stage to bash President Biden and vocally endorse Trump.(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)CHERYL JUELS: Donald Trump loves this country and will never forget the sacrifice and bravery of our service members. Join us in putting him back in the White House.(CHEERING)FOWLER: So, Michel, even though they were OK with the cameras, the families don't have the power to suspend the rules. Also, NPR has learned the family of a Green Beret who died by suicide, whose headstone's visible in those pictures and videos, did not give permission to be included, which highlights one reason for the ban on campaigning in such a sensitive environment.MARTIN: So what has been the Trump campaign's response to this, the information, the reporting about this altercation other than putting out a video that does seem to be, you know, flouting these rules?FOWLER: There's been some nastiness in the response. A Trump campaign spokesman said the Arlington representative was, quote, "clearly suffering from a mental health episode." And on the campaign trail yesterday, Trump vice presidential nominee JD Vance said Vice President Kamala Harris could, quote, "go to hell" over the Afghanistan withdrawal and blamed reporters for the controversy.(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)JD VANCE: You guys in the media, you're acting like Donald Trump filmed a TV commercial at a grave site. He was there providing emotional support to a lot of brave Americans who lost loved ones they never should have lost. And there happened to be a camera there, and somebody gave him permission to have that camera there.FOWLER: He did, in fact, film a commercial there, sort of, which he then put on TikTok.MARTIN: So obviously, we're in the thick of this 2024 presidential campaign. Do we have a sense of how voters might be seeing this or what this adds to our picture of Trump as a candidate and as a once and possibly future commander in chief?FOWLER: Well, Trump's also been accused of calling dead soldiers, quote, "suckers and losers," stoked controversy for saying civilian Medal of Freedom recipients are much better than those who receive the Medal of Honor. And so all of these things would be a big deal for any other candidate, but this is a perfect encapsulation of life under Trump.MARTIN: That is NPR's Stephen Fowler. Stephen, thank you.FOWLER: Thank you.Copyright © 2024 NPR. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information.NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.</div></body>

Mountain View, CA

NewsBreak

Army says Arlington National Cemetery worker was 'pushed aside' by Trump aides

Former President Donald Trump shared a TikTok video including footage that raises questions about whether it violates federal law against using military cemeteries for campaign purposes. STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:. That social media post is the way that he has used images taken amid grave sites at Arlington National Cemetery this...

Army says Arlington National Cemetery worker was 'pushed aside' by Trump aides

Comments / 0