Gold Star Families defend Trump for Arlington visit

WASHINGTON (TND) — It’s the latest move in a back-and-forth battle over what happened one week ago at Arlington National Cemetery.

Donald Trump is sharing new videos on social media, where family members praise him.

"President Trump has been there for us. He’s been a rock for us," saidJim McCollum, Father of Lance Cpl. Rylee J. McCollum, who was killed at the Abbey Gate of Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, in an attack.

It's part of a mounting defense of Trump after he was criticized following his visit to honor the victims on the third anniversary of their deaths.

While there, an employee of Arlington National Cemetery was "abruptly pushed aside" by a Trump campaign staffer according to a statement by the U.S. Army.

“Participants in the August 26th ceremony and the subsequent Section 60 visit were made aware of federal laws, Army regulations and DoD policies, which clearly prohibit political activities on cemetery grounds. An ANC employee who attempted to ensure adherence to these rules was abruptly pushed aside,” the Army spokesperson said in the statement on Thursday.

Section 60 is an area in the cemetery largely reserved for the graves of those who served in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“This incident was unfortunate, and it is also unfortunate that the ANC employee and her professionalism has been unfairly attacked. ANC is a national shrine to the honored dead of the Armed Forces, and its dedicated staff will continue to ensure public ceremonies are conducted with the dignity and respect the nation’s fallen deserve,” the statement said.

Images and video from the visit were later used in a video posted on TikTok.

On Saturday Kamala Harrisposted a statement on X saying, “The former President disrespected sacred ground, all for the sake of a political stunt. The post prompted some Gold Star family members to fire back.

Darin Hoover, father of SSgt. Taylor Hoover, said, "These are the only memories we get to make with our son and it is you that is playing politics."

Other Trump supporters took to a Sunday talk show to defend him and slam Harris.

"She never has spoken to them or taken a meeting with them," said Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., on NBC's "Meet the Press."

Host Kristen Welker said, "They did meet with them during the dignified transfer. They were with them at the dignified transfer." A statement that was not entirely true.

NBC’s "Meet the Press" later issued a correctionsaying "Biden was in attendance but Harris was not."

Meanwhile, another statement is now also in dispute.

In an interview last week with CNN, Christy Shamblin, the mother-in-law of Marine Corps Sgt. Nicole Gee said, "We invited, um, both President Trump and the Biden Harris Administration and we didn't hear back from the White House."

The White House is now disputing that, saying no invitation was received.

Meanwhile, the family of a Green Beret whose gravesite was shown in another photo is also raising concerns they did not permit it to be used in a fundraising email later sent out by Utah’s governor.

Critics say the entire incident shows why political activity at Arlington is banned.

On Friday, Rep. Mikie Sherrill, D-N.J., a former Navy Pilot said, "For Veterans across the country to see that Donald Trump is using Arlington cemetery and the graves there as some sort of TikTok campaign video is highly offensive."

Looking back to the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan, it was the moment President Joe Biden's poll numbers dipped down and never really recovered.

Some political analysts see it as a winning issue and one reason Trump wants to keep it in the public conversation.