Vice President Kamala Harris blasted former President Trump this week following an incident involving his staff and cemetery officials, drawing a critical response from Sen. J.D. Vance, Trump's running mate.
An Army spokesman said Thursday that an employee at Arlington National Cemetery was “abruptly shoved away” while speaking with President Trump's staff during a wreath-laying ceremony on Monday to commemorate service members killed by ISIS-K terrorists on Aug. 26, 2021, during the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan.
The Army said in a statement that the official had “reminded Trump's team of federal law, Army regulations and Department of Defense policy, which expressly prohibit political activity on cemetery grounds.” Trump maintained that he had taken photos with military families, at their request.
“[President] “Joe Biden killed our young people because he was incompetent,” Trump said Friday during a speech in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. “And they say I used their graves for public relations purposes, but I didn't.”
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Vice President Kamala Harris slammed former President Trump over the Arlington National Cemetery incident. (Getty Images)
In a statement posted to Facebook on Saturday afternoon, Harris accused the Trump campaign of disrespecting military personnel.
“As vice president, I have had the opportunity to visit Arlington National Cemetery several times,” the Democratic presidential nominee said in a statement. “It is a solemn place, a place where we gather to honor American heroes who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. It is not a place for politics.”
“But as reported this week, Donald Trump's team chose to shoot a video there, which led to an altercation with cemetery officials,” Harris added. “Let me be clear: the former president disrespected this sacred site for political stunts.”
Harris maintained that the incident was “not new” for Trump, and cited the former president's “phone call.”[ing] Deriding soldiers who died in battle as “idiots” and “losers”[ing] Medal of Honor recipient.”
“He is a man who understands nothing but service to himself,” Harris added, pledging to “never politicize” military personnel.
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Democratic presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harris waits to speak at a campaign rally in Wayne, Michigan. (Andrew Harnick/Getty Images)
The remarks drew swift backlash from Republican vice presidential nominee J.D. Vance, who suggested Harris “stay off social media.”
“President Trump was there at the invitation of the families who lost loved ones due to your incompetence,” Vance wrote to X. “Why don't you step off social media and begin investigating their needless deaths?”
Caroline Leavitt, who served as deputy press secretary during the Trump administration, also criticized Harris on social media.
“Kamala Harris bragged that she was the last person in the room when Joe Biden decided on his disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal plan,” Leavitt writes. “Her stupidity led to one of the most shameful events in American history, resulting in the deaths of 13 brave American soldiers.”
“She has never mentioned their names. She has never contacted their families,” Leavitt added. “This alone makes Kamala unelectable. She has already proven she would be a dangerously incompetent commander in chief.”
On July 15, 2024, on the first day of the Republican National Convention, former President Trump and vice presidential candidate Senator J.D. Vance (Republican, Ohio) held a press conference. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)
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Fox News Digital has reached out to the Trump and Harris campaigns for comment.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
