2 members of #Trump's campaign staff had a verbal & physical altercation Monday w/an ofcl at #ArlingtonCemetery where Trump participated in a [performative] wreath laying ceremony.The cemetery ofcl tried to prevent Trump staffers from filming & photogr...
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On Wed #StevenCheung said the employee “initiated physical contact that was unwarranted & unnecessary.” [wrong - you were breaking the rules & the #law]
Cheung also said the #Trump #campaign would release footage to support his claim but has not. They did, however, post a TikTok of the event on Wed — exactly what #military ofcls tried to prevent. The use of the footage marked a flagrant violation of the #law against #partisan actions at #MilitaryCemeteries, #Defense said.
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@Nonilex I do hope some group makes a huge f**king deal about this. Claiming they were just filming “a solemn occasion” then releasing a campaign video is just slimy. And that’s besides the flat out violation of federal statute.
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[#Trump]…portrays himself as a champion of the #military, but #Democrats point to his public & private remarks denigrating #ServiceMembers.
“I just haven’t seen anything this disgusting. It is completely inappropriate to do any kind of #political activity on a federal installation, & it is #immoral …to conduct any kind of #SelfServing activity on a #cemetery w/the graves of our fallen,”said Paul Eaton, a ret #Army general & adviser to #VoteVets whose father’s remains are interred at #Arlington.
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#Defense ofcls were concerned about the event Mon because #Republicans have frequently used the…[Afghanistan exit], as a #political cudgel. In advance of the event, #cemetery ofcls told #Trump’s team that he could come in his PERSONAL CAPACITY & bring PERSONAL aides, but NOT #campaign staff. Campaign advisers went anyway.
No hats, signs or banners were allowed, acc/to #military ofcls. No speeches.#law #disrespect #ServiceMembers #ArlingtonNationalCemetery #USpol
#HarrisWalz2024 -
Reporters & photographers could follow #Trump for a ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknowns, but not to the 14-acre plot where #veterans from recent wars are buried, known as #Section60. The media was kept away, unable to see the altercation —or anything else, for that matter— during that part of his visit.
The 1st part went according to plan. W/full media coverage, Trump & 2 injured Marines…laid a wreath at the tomb…dedicated to deceased #US troops whose remains have not been ID’ed or recovered.
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The press then returned to a holding area, specifically instructed that reporters & cameras would not accompany #Trump & bereaved families to #Section60.
But Trump ofcls said they did not view the #campaign’s own photographer & videographer [who weren’t allowed to be anywhere there as campaign staff in the first place] as subject to the same restrictions, so they continued on to Section 60. Their arrival there prompted the standoff w/the #ArlingtonNationalCemetery employee over the rules.
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The incident has raised concerns about the #safety of #ArlingtonNationalCemetery staff members, the senior #Defense ofcl said, w/vitriol aimed at them initially on Monday by liberals, after the news coverage of #Trump at the #cemetery was published [really? I was immediately concerned for the staff & knew it was Trump et al being who they always are]. That has given way to language from #conservatives that also is “concerning.”
#law #disrespect #military #ServiceMembers #USpol
#HarrisWalz2024 -
“If the [#Trump] #campaign feels the need to defend their team’s actions — which include #bullying & physically pushing out of the way [#assault] a longtime #PublicServant & member of the team at #Arlington working to protect the sanctity of the sacred spaces — then that’s on them,” one #Defense ofcl said. “The rules were made clear to participants, & these two chose to disregard those rules. End of story.”
#law #disrespect #military #ServiceMembers #USpol
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…Co-campaign manager #ChrisLaCivita, who was present Monday along w/other #campaign employees, in a statement called the #cemetery employee “a despicable individual” who “does not deserve to represent the hollowed grounds of Arlington National Cemetery.” [mother f⁕︎er!!] LaCivita posted video on X on Mon of #Trump laying flowers at the grave of Staff Sgt. Ryan Knauss, a soldier killed in the explosion, & speaking to his family on the phone [video all taken in #Section60].
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In addition to the #campaign’s TikTok video, #Trump posed for photos on Monday at the graveside of Marine Sgt. Nicole Gee w/her family [in #Section60], including 1 where he is giving a thumbs-up & others are smiling. Eaton called the gesture “appalling.”
The campaign also defended itself w/a joint statement from the 2 injured Marines who appeared w/Trump & the families of some of the #ServiceMembers killed, saying they wanted Trump & his cameras there [irrelevant & illegal]. -
…Other #veterans & bereaved families viewed #Trump’s visit as #disrespectful to a sacred space that also belongs to them & to the nation. #Section60 is a place where young widows can be seem trimming grass w/hand scissors, sharing comfort w/other #GoldStarFamilies, & decorating graves w/flowers & beads. Visitors have long taken graveside photographs there, & sitting presidents have visited before, but not as part of #campaign events.
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“That’s not the time or place for it,” said Karen Meredith, a #VoteVets board member whose son, 1st Lt. Ken Ballard, is buried in the second row of #Section60. “They had to #bully themselves into this thing. The lack of #respect for the rules or the norms or the #laws at #Arlington — there’s just no respect.”
#law #disrespect #military #ServiceMembers #ArlingtonNationalCemetery #USpol
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#Trump’s running mate, Sen #JDVance, turned the incident into a #political attack during a #campaign speech in Erie, PA, on Wednesday. “We’re going to talk about a story out of those 13 brave, innocent Americans who lost their lives,” he said. He then falsely accused #Harris of criticizing Trump’s visit to the #cemetery, which she hasn’t commented on. A Harris campaign spox called it “pretty sad.”
#law #disrespect #military #ServiceMembers #ArlingtonNationalCemetery #USpol
#HarrisWalz2024 -
Here is the photo @Nonilex it referring to of the grinning Trump in Section 60.
It reminded me. Of Trump’s thumbs up and smile at an El Paso hospital following a mass shooting. Melania is holding the baby whose parents were murdered in a mass shooting. -
#Trump has repeatedly defied restrictions [#law] on using #federal property for #campaign purposes by staging a #political speech at #MountRushmore, participating in a television interview inside the #LincolnMemorial, & holding [some of] the 2020 #RepublicanNationalConvention at the #WhiteHouse itself. As president, he pushed unsuccessfully for a *European-style* [nazi-esque] #military parade down Pennsylvania Ave.
#disrespect #Arlington #USpol
#HarrisWalz2024
https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-election-2020-ap-top-news-republican-national-convention-politics-54b27b22c8d4d5472f7ccfaeb0bb87ea -
I mean when #Republicans #RonJohnson & #JohnThune think #Trump is breaking the #law, it’s got to be egregious:
#USpol #HarrisWalz2024
https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/08/05/899336580/biden-plans-to-accept-democratic-nomination-remotely -
At the same time, #Trump has repeatedly badmouthed the sacrifices of American #ServiceMembers. In 2015, he mocked the late Sen #JohnMcCain (R) for his time as a #POW, saying, “I like people who weren’t captured, & earlier this month said the civilian Presidential Medal of Freedom was “much better” than the #military #MedalOfHonor because those who received the latter were “either in very bad shape because they’ve been hit so many times by bullets, or they’re dead.”
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#Trump’s fmr aides have said he similarly disparaged #ServiceMembers in private….Ret Gen #MarkMilley, fmr chair of the #JointChiefs, said Trump responded to appearing w/a wounded #veteran by saying, “No one wants to see that.” His fmr chief of staff, #JohnKelly, said Trump called US #Marines buried at cemeteries in France “suckers” & “losers.”…Kelly has also said Trump told him during a previous visit to #Section60 at #ArlingtonNationalCemetery, “I don’t get it. What was in it for them?”
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“He never understood why would you do anything that doesn’t benefit you,” one fmr snr #Trump WH ofcl said…. “I remember talking to him about death & #sacrifice for the country, & it was like talking Greek to him. That’s why it’s the height of hypocrisy he’s there laying a wreath, given his general feelings about #veterans.”
The fmr ofcl said it was painful to see the suffering families put their faith in Trump. #law #disrespect #military #Service #ArlingtonNationalCemetery #USpol
#HarrisWalz2024 -
“They are clearly grieving, & their kids have given the ultimate sacrifice, & they think he can help them,” the fmr ofcl said. “They don’t know who he really is & what he’s really about. It’s not their fault.”
Cheung called the fmr ofcl a “coward” for speaking anonymously. [classy. But bullying & pushing an #ArlingtonNationalCemetery employee trying to enforce the #law is courageous to #Trump #campaign staff]#disrespect #military #ServiceMembers #veterans #USpol
#HarrisWalz2024