When the week began, Donald Trump probably thought it would be a good idea to visit Arlington National Cemetery. The former president, despite his terrible record of respecting American troops and veterans, seemed eager Monday to capitalize on the third anniversary of a terrorist attack in Afghanistan that killed 13 American service members and more than 150 Afghans.
As a result, the Republican candidate attended a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, after which he had his photo taken with the thumbs up at a headstone in Section 60 of the cemetery, where many of the service members who died in Afghanistan and Iraq are buried.
At that point, the story was already problematic. On Tuesday, however, things took a turn for the worse amid reports of an “incident” involving Trump staffers and someone who worked at the cemetery. A day later, the controversy intensified. NBC News reported:
Former President Donald Trump’s campaign is downplaying reports of a skirmish during his visit to Arlington National Cemetery on Monday, a move that highlights concerns about the potential political fallout from the incident.
Republicans may have hoped this scandal would be a one-hit wonder. I have bad news for them.
It’s a story with a surprising number of moving parts, so let’s recap where things stand now.
* NBC News confirmed with two defense officials that a member of Trump’s team pushed a worker into the cemetery as part of an attempt to take photos at Section 60. NBC News also added that military police were called and filed an incident report, which has not been made public.
* A related report from the New York Times said that the woman who works at the cemetery has declined to press charges. According to the report, which has not been independently verified by MSNBC or NBC News, the official feared “retaliation” from Trump’s followers.
* The same Times article noted the concerns of a family whose loved one has served eight combat tours and is buried in Arlington. They believe the Trump campaign filmed his grave without permission.
* The Associated Press reported that Trump’s campaign received warnings about not taking photos in Section 60. If that report is accurate, the Republican operation ignored those warnings.
* Mark Esper, who served as defense secretary under Trump, called for an investigation into the incident. Democratic Rep. Gerry Connolly of Virginia also issued a written statement calling for the release of documents related to Monday’s incident.
* USA Today published a report on veterans unhappy with Trump’s actions. The article quoted retired Maj. Gen. Paul Eaton, a senior adviser at VoteVets, who called the campaign’s actions at the cemetery “sickening” and “repulsive.”
* As feared, Team Trump has already released a campaign video featuring footage of the GOP candidate’s visit to Arlington.
* Did the Trump campaign’s actions this week violate the law? A Washington Post report examines the relevant details.
* Republican vice presidential candidate J.D. Vance said Vice President Kamala Harris “can go to hell” for criticizing Trump’s appearance at the cemetery, despite the fact that Harris had not in fact made any criticism. The Ohio senator later declined to say whether presidential candidates must abide by a federal law that prohibits campaigns from filming at gravesites.
Where does the controversy go next? Watch this space.
This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
