Vice President Kamala Harris is criticizing former president Donald Trump for the latest controversy involving his campaign at Arlington National Cemetery, saying the military burial ground is “not a political place”.
Ms Harris took aim at Trump on Saturday in a social media post, writing that he had “desecrated holy ground, just for politics”.
The US military said a Trump staffer “pushed aside” a cemetery worker who was trying to warn his team about laws against filming in cemeteries.
Trump’s campaign has disputed the nature of the graveside ceremonies and said he got permission from the families of fallen soldiers to film.
This incident happened on Monday, when Trump was at a ceremony to honor 13 American soldiers who were killed when the country withdrew from Afghanistan three years ago.
Saturday’s post marks the first time that Ms. Harris, the Democratic Alliance presidential nominee, has commented on the controversy.
He wrote that he had visited Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia many times during his time as vice president, and would never use it for political gain.
“If there’s one thing we can all agree on as Americans, it’s that our veterans, military families and service members should be respected, never disrespected, and treated with the utmost respect and gratitude,” said Ms. Harris. .
“And it is my belief that a person who cannot meet this simple, sacred duty should never again stand behind the seal of the President of the United States of America.”
At a campaign rally in Michigan on Thursday, Trump responded to those who criticized him for the incident.
He said he was asked to take a picture in this place after the memorial by the family members of the dead soldiers.
“I go there, they asked me to have a picture and they said I was campaigning,” said Trump. “The thing that I get the most is being announced to the public. I don’t need that. I don’t need to be seen by people.”
Trump’s running mate JD Vance used the debate to attack the Biden administration over its administration’s withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, saying Ms Harris could “go to hell”.
“Three years ago, 13 brave, innocent Americans died because Kamala Harris refused to do her job,” Mr. Vance said Wednesday in response to questions from the BBC’s US partner, CBS News.
NPR previously reported that two members of Trump’s campaign staff insulted and pushed a cemetery worker aside when he tried to intervene.
Federal law prohibits the use of cemeteries in political campaigns and the US Army said participants were warned of the rules in advance.
A spokesman for the US military said on Thursday that “the incident was unfortunate, and it is unfortunate that an ANC worker and his work were unjustly attacked.”
Trump’s campaign denied there was an altercation at the cemetery, adding that “we are prepared to release the images if these defamatory allegations are made”.
House Democrats have since asked the US military for a report on the incident, asking for a “full account” of what happened.
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