an altercation involving former president Donald Trump's staff at Arlington National Cemetery has come under scrutiny following an incident during a refling ceremony earlier this week the incident occurred As Trump and his team were paying tribute to service members who died during the Afghanistan war withdrawal specifically those who lost their lives in the cbell airport bombing 3 years ago according to an army spokesman an Arlington Cemetery official was abruptly pushed aside during the altercation but chose not to press charges the official was reportedly trying to ensure that all participants in the ceremony adhered to the cemetery's rules which include strict prohibitions against taking photographs in section 60 where military personnel killed in Afghanistan and Iraq are buried despite being warned beforehand Trump's campaign staff allegedly violated this rule leading to the confrontation the incident was reported to the police but the cemetery official decided against pursuing legal action the Army has since stated that it considers the matter closed praising the employee for acting with professionalism and avoiding further disruption the altercation has drawn significant attention with the cemetery confirming that a report was filed though they have not disclosed the details of what transpired in a statement Arlington officials reiterated the federal law that prohibits political campaign or election related activities within military cemeteries emphasizing that this law had been clearly communicated to all participants Trump's spokesperson Steven Chung contested the allegations insisting that a private photographer had been granted access to the premises he suggested that the cemetery official involved might have been experiencing a mental health episode which led to the incident Chung maintained that Trump's team conducted themselves with respect and dignity during the ceremony Chris laivita a senior adviser to Trump's campaign echoed this sentiment criticizing the cemetery official's actions and defending Trump's Presence at the event as being in line with the wishes of the families of the Fallen service members Lai Vita's written statement also accused those spreading the story of dishonoring the Armed Forces though it contained a typographical error misspelling the word hallowed as hollowed the incident has elicited strong reactions from both sides of the political Spectrum Michael Tyler a spokesperson for vice president kamla Harris criticized Trump's team for making the event about themselves citing Trump's history of demeaning military service members meanwhile Trump's running mate JD Vance downplayed the altercation accusing the media of exaggerating the story and instead focusing his criticism on Harris for not holding anyone accountable for the chaotic us withdrawal from Afghanistan the controversy surrounding this incident is yet another reflection of the deep political divisions in the US as the 2024 election cycle intensifies playful parade will continue to provide updates on this story and other significant events as they unfold we are on 10,000 subscribers Journey subscribe to us today thank thank you for your support [Music]