Army Lt. Jimmy McCain, son of the late Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), pretended to be outraged that former President Donald Trump visited Arlington National Cemetery even though his father had advertised there.
During the period Interview In an interview with CNN's Jake Tapper on Tuesday, McCain's son slammed President Trump for commemorating the 13 U.S. soldiers killed in the 2021 Abbey Gate bombing in Afghanistan.
Asked “why” he called Trump's visit to the cemetery a violation, McCain explained that the people buried there “don't have a voice” and that the cemetery's purpose is to “honor our men and women who have served.”
“As you know, Arlington National Cemetery is a sacred place for military personnel, for all those who have served,” McCain said. “It's sacred ground. Three generations of the McCain family are buried here. This is a violation because of the rules that are in place. The purpose of Arlington National Cemetery is to honor the men and women who have given their lives for this country. When you politicize this, you lose respect for the people who are there.”
The younger McCain's comments were echoed by his father Used Footage of Arlington National Cemetery used in a 1999 election advertisement.
A McCain campaign spokesman said in November 1999 that footage of the cemetery Deleted According to the election ad: Los Angeles Times:
The Army said this week that the Arizona native's campaign had not sought permission to film him at the cemetery. The Army said such a request would have been denied because partisan activity is prohibited on Army installations. McCain wrote to the Army acknowledging the campaign's error and saying the footage would be cut.
When Tapper noted that his father had used footage of Arlington National Cemetery in ads and that Trump's visit to the cemetery had “troubled” McCain's son, McCain noted that his father “retracted that.”
“The first thing about John McCain is that in politics you don't make mistakes once or twice,” McCain's son said. “The important thing is that he removed it and he understood the majesty, the sacred nature of Arlington National Cemetery. So it would be right for Donald Trump to remove it and apologize.”
In the aftermath of President Trump's visit to the cemetery, NPR published a story alleging that Trump campaign officials got into “altercations and physical altercations” with cemetery officials who tried to prevent them from filming and taking photos in Section 60 of the cemetery.
Trump campaign spokesman Steven Chang addressed the allegations, saying “private photographers were allowed on the grounds.”
Chan also post X indicated that “only Mr. Trump” was authorized to “employ official photographers and videographers outside the main press area” at the cemetery.
We were allowed to send a photographer there. https://t.co/s2E9lNdksK pic.twitter.com/dXbZ03hwzB
— Steven Cheung (@TheStevenCheung) August 27, 2024
Vice President Kamala Harris later issued a statement condemning Trump's visit to the cemetery, calling it a “political ploy.”
Responding to Harris' comments, President Trump released a video filmed by several family members of 13 U.S. soldiers killed during Biden's withdrawal from Afghanistan, accusing Harris of “playing politics” and making “heinous, vile and disgusting” statements.
