Some members of Donald Trump's campaign got into an altercation this week with an official at Arlington National Ceremony. It happened when they allegedly tried to film the former president after a wreath-laying ceremony. The official reportedly tried to eject a photographer working for the campaign.
Federal law prohibits political activity, including any photography, at any military cemeteries. A Trump spokesman claimed that the cemetery officials were, in his mind, "clearly suffering from a mental health episode."
Political historian Allan Lichtman joined Scripps News on Wednesday to discuss the incident.
"There's clear federal law on this, and there's good reason for it," Lichtman said. "We should not be exploiting soldiers for political purposes."
"Whether or not Donald Trump has some family member allegedly giving him permission is absolutely irrelevant. Staffers at Arlington are absolutely right. You cannot use the cemetery, the graves, for a photo op for a political campaign. That violates federal law," Lichtman said.
"But this is typical Trump. He doesn't believe that the law or the rules or anything actually applies to him. He believes he's above it all."
RELATED STORY | Trump campaign staff reportedly had an altercation with Arlington Cemetery official during visit
Trump was visiting the cemetery following a wreath-laying at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier to honor 13 U.S. military service members who were killed three years ago at Kabul airport’s Abbey Gate during the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. Trump has been publicly critical of how President Joe Biden’s administration handled the withdrawal from the country.
