The public furor continues over Donald Trump’s behavior during a visit to Arlington National Cemetery on Aug. 26, 2024.
Since that visit to the U.S. military burial ground outside Washington, D.C., news reports and campaign photos have emerged showing the former president grinning widely and giving a “thumbs-up” gesture while standing behind the grave of an American serviceman killed during the 2021 U.S. evacuation from Afghanistan. Visible in those images, too, are the graves of two U.S. Army Green Berets.
The Trump campaign later released video showing images of him in Arlington National Cemetery with audio criticizing the Biden administration for its handling of the withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Trump’s politicking and seemingly cavalier demeanor at a site marked by signs declaring itself “America’s most sacred shrine” have spurred many critical commentaries in the media, including from former military leaders.
For his part, Trump complained on Truth Social on Sept. 3, 2024, that reports of the incident were a “made up story by Comrade Kamala and her misinformation squad.” His campaign staff says it had permission from the family of one soldier buried at Arlington to take photos and video in the cemetery.
But as a legal scholar specializing in cemetery law, I know that their permission is irrelevant. They are not cemetery officials. The law allows cemeteries to make their own rules.
And Arlington National Cemetery…
