Vice President Kamala Harris condemned former President Donald Trump and his campaign for their actions Monday at Arlington National Cemetery in a new message on X.
Harris accused Trump of “disrespect”[ing] sacred ground, all for a political coup.
“If there is one thing we as Americans can all agree on, it is that our veterans, our military families, and our service members should be honored, never denigrated, and treated with nothing less than our utmost respect and gratitude,” she added.
Harris also called on Trump to “never again stand behind the seal of the president of the United States of America” because of his actions.
His statement comes after the US military said a member of Trump’s campaign team “suddenly pushed back” a cemetery staff member so Trump and his campaign could take photos and videos with families of service members who died during the U.S. military’s withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.
The incident occurred in Section 60, where taking videos and photos is usually prohibited.
During an interview with NBC News on ThursdayTrump defended his actions, saying that a family “asked me whether or not I wanted to stand for a picture at the grave of their loved one who should not have died.”
He said he did not ask to take photos or videos, but “while I was there, I did not ask for a photo. While I was there, they said, ‘Sir, could we have a photo at the grave?'”
In a message on X in response to Harris, Trump’s running mate, Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance, said: “President Trump was there at the invitation of the families whose loved ones died because of your incompetence. Why don’t you get off social media and launch an investigation into their needless deaths?”
And Trump campaign spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt blasted Harris in her own message, accusing the vice president of being responsible for the deaths of service members during the withdrawal, which occurred under the Biden administration.
“Kamala’s stupidity led to one of the most embarrassing events in American history and the deaths of 13 brave American soldiers,” Leavitt wrote, adding: “For that alone, Kamala does not deserve to be elected. Kamala has already proven that she would be a dangerously incompetent commander in chief.”
Hours after Harris’s post, Trump released a series of X-rated videos showing eight family members of seven of the slain service members criticizing Harris’ comments about the military and vigorously defending Trump as a supporter.
Several families noted that they had invited Trump to the cemetery, and several people blamed President Joe Biden and Harris for their loved ones’ deaths.
Mark Schmitz, whose son, Corporal Jared M. Schmitz, was killed in the 2021 Abbey Gate bombing, called Harris’ message “heinous, vile and disgusting.” Herman Lopez, whose son, Corporal Hunter Lopez, was killed in the attack, called the vice president’s remarks “hollow and empty.”
“Kamala, we have been…
