Vice President Kamala Harris condemned former President Donald Trump and his campaign for their actions on Monday at the Arlington National Cemetery in a new post on X.
Harris accused Trump of “disrespect[ing] sacred ground, all for the sake of a political stunt.”
“If there is one thing on which we as Americans can all agree, it is that our veterans, military families, and service members should be honored, never disparaged, and treated with nothing less than our highest 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,” as a result of his actions.
Her statement comes after the U.S. Army said that a member of Trump’s campaign staff “abruptly pushed aside” a staff member at the cemetery so that Trump and his campaign could take photos and videos with families of service members who passed away 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 Thursday, Trump defended his actions, saying a family “asked me whether or not I would stand for a picture at the grave of their loved one who should not have died.”
He claimed that he did not request to take photos and videos, but “While I was there, I didn’t ask for a picture. While I was there, they said, ‘Sir, could we have a picture at the grave?’”
In a post on X responding to Harris, Trump’s running mate Ohio Sen. JD Vance said, “President trump was there at the invitation of families whose loved ones died because of your incompetence. Why don’t you get off social media and go launch an investigation into their unnecessary deaths?”
And Trump campaign spokesperson Karoline Leavitt blasted Harris in her own post, blaming the vice president for the servicemembers’ deaths during the withdrawal, which occurred during the Biden administration.
“Kamala’s stupidity led to one of the most embarrassing events in American history and 13 brave US soldiers being killed,” Leavitt posted, adding “For this 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’ post, Trump posted a series of videos to X depicting eight family members of seven of the killed service members criticizing Harris’ comments about the military and vigorously defending Trump as supportive.
Several of the families emphasized that they invited Trump to the cemetery, and multiple people laid the blame for their loved ones’ deaths at President Joe Biden’s and Harris’ feet.
Mark Schmitz, whose son Lance Cpl. Jared M. Schmitz was killed in the 2021 Abbey Gate bombing, called Harris’ post “heinous, vile and disgusting.” Herman Lopez, whose son Cpl. Hunter Lopez was killed in the attack, called the vice president’s words “hollow and empty.”
“Kamala, we have been treated with the utmost respect, compassion, and understanding by President Trump, something you and Joe Biden have refused to do since August 26, 2021,” said Darin Hoover, father of Staff Sgt. Darin “Taylor” Hoover, referring to the day of the attack.
Megan Lebowitz contributed.
