Donald Trump’s campaign issued a statement from the Gold Star military families who invited him to Arlington National Cemetery as they defended the Republican presidential nominee and insisted that Vice President Kamala Harris is the candidate politicising fallen US service members.
It is the latest volley in an extended back and forth as Mr Trump tries to saddle Ms Harris with the Biden administration’s handling of the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, including a suicide bombing that killed 13 US service members.
Ms Harris on Saturday accused Mr Trump of staging a “political stunt” that “disrespected sacred ground” where many Afghanistan war dead are buried.
Mr Trump and the families of some of those killed in the bombing blame Ms Harris, as they did President Joe Biden before he ended his re-election bid, for their loved ones’ deaths.
The families say the former president was honouring their loved ones when he came to Arlington.
Despite the cemetery’s prohibition on partisan activity, the campaign of President Trump later distributed images from the visit.
According to a joint statement from the Gold Star families, Trump was invited to the solemn commemoration of the third anniversary of their loved ones' deaths. The statement highlighted his presence was meant to honor their sacrifice. However, the statement accused Vice President Harris of turning this sacred moment into a political maneuver.
Gold Star families have experienced the loss of loved ones in military service. Trump paid tribute last Monday by laying wreaths for Sergeant Nicole Gee, Staff Sergeant Darin Hoover, and Staff Sergeant Ryan Knauss, who were among the 13 U.S. service members and over 100 Afghans killed in the August 26, 2021, bombing at Hamid Karzai International Airport during the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Trump expressed gratitude to the families for their statement and acknowledgment via social media, emphasizing that their request for his presence and photos was not initiated by him.
Over the weekend, Trump used social media to share video testimonials from relatives who supported his statement. Christy Shamblin, the mother-in-law of Ms. Gee, praised Trump and his team for their respect and comfort during the Arlington ceremony. She also questioned Vice President Harris on why she would use the day to criticize the families and their loss.
In 2021, President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden attended a ceremony at Dover Air Force Base to receive the remains of the service members, meeting privately with the families. The Bidens were accompanied by several top administration officials, including Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
Ms. Shamblin and others had previously spoken at the Republican National Convention in support of Trump. The controversy surrounding Trump's visit escalated when defense officials reported that his campaign had been warned against taking photographs and that there was a dispute between Trump’s aides and a cemetery employee. Although the employee involved declined to press charges, the Trump campaign has criticized Pentagon officials and maintained that they had permission for video recording.
Since President Biden’s re-election bid ended in July, Trump has focused on Vice President Harris’s role in foreign policy, particularly her involvement in the decision to withdraw from Afghanistan. Trump has criticized the Biden administration's execution of the withdrawal, asserting that his own planned approach would have been more dignified and effective.
