Army Unhappy with Trump’s Visit to Arlington National Cemetery

Q: What Trump’s Arlington National Cemetery Can Remind Us All

Though some families permitted the use of photography, not everyone seems to have provided consent, nor are pleased, and have seen fallen family members in the frames of Trump’s campaign’s photography. How this affects voters, Trump’s access to future events, and what exactly went wrong all remain a bit multi-faceted. However, one thing that remains no matter who did or didn’t do what, is that Section 60 of Arlington National Cemetery, or any such resting place, is no place for politics. It’s one thing for the U.S. military to have political slipups and public stances, not that we should advocate for any of these things. We also can’t be unrealistic about presidential candidates talking about and directly to the military community. The role of Commander-In-Chief is literally up for grabs. Our nation’s military community is adjacent to, and directly affected by, political policy no matter what we do to provide even a bit of separation. Hopefully, Trump’s trip to the Arlington National C

By Buddy Blouin

Published: August 30, 2024 at 3:27 PM EDT

Updated: October 1, 2025 at 5:57 PM EDT

COMMENT

Army Unhappy with Trump’s Visit to Arlington National Cemetery

Former President Donald Trump has found himself facing backlash from the Veteran community and the U.S. Army as a whole after a trip to the Arlington National Cemetery on August 26, 2024. Because of an altercation, and photos being taken in Section 60, Trump’s campaign finds itself defending what others claim are outright violations as well as uncouth behavior.

What Is Section 60 at Arlington National Cemetery?

Section 60 of the Arlington National Cemetery is 14 acres reserved for Veterans who have passed away after being killed while in Afghanistan and Iraq. Around 900 Veterans are in this section, which began in 2018.

Trump’s Section 60 Faux Pas

There are disputes on both sides about what has happened. In many ways, this story is still developing as of this writing. However, the U.S. Army has issued a statement involving the political realm—something it tries very hard not to do regularly. This is because the military is an apolitical entity. There are several guidelines. They include laws concerning federal employees, as well as some of the things they can or can’t do involving politics. Within such legislation, are the laws in place for politicians to avoid potential issues among the American Armed Forces. These factors are at the heart of the matter. Now, Donald Trump’s presidential campaign finds itself in a bit of hot water because of them. You can’t use national cemeteries, such as Arlington, for political purposes. There are reports that this was clear to everyone. However, while attending a ceremony at the Arlington National Cemetery on August 26th, allegedly, aides for Trump pushed aside an employee of the grounds. Additionally, photos were taken without permission for his campaign. This all took place as Trump was criticizing how the Biden administration handled leaving Afghanistan. It’s worth noting that Trump’s Arlington National Cemetery visit was after a wreath-laying ceremony. This ceremony was to show respect to 13 service members who died during the evacuation in Kabul, Afghanistan. It’s still unclear if an altercation was verbal, physical, or a combination of the two. However, political use of Section 60 at Arlington National Cemetery, or any of the Army National Military Cemeteries, remains prohibited.