Washington DC, September 1
Vice President Kamala Harris has slammed Republican presidential rival Donald Trump for his campaign at Arlington National Cemetery, saying soldiers' burial site is "not a place for politics."
The former US president on Monday took part in a wreath-laying ceremony at the cemetery to honour the 13 US military service members killed during the US withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.
A video of the visit posted by the Trump campaign on TikTok showed him walking through Arlington and visiting grave sites, with audio of him criticising the Biden administration's "disaster" of the Afghanistan withdrawal, CNN had reported. It was further reported that two members of Donald Trump's campaign staff had a verbal and physical altercation with an official at the cemetery
Sharing a post on X on Saturday, Harris said the cemetery is not a place for politics. "As Vice President, I have had the privilege of visiting Arlington National Cemetery several times. It is a solemn place; a place where we come together to honor American heroes who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service of this nation."
The post further added, "It is not a place for politics. And yet, as was reported this week, Donald Trump's team chose to film a video there, resulting in an altercation with cemetery staff. Let me be clear: the former president disrespected sacred ground, all for the sake of a political stunt."
Intensifying her criticism, Harris referred to Trump's history of insulting army veterans.
"This is nothing new from Donald Trump. This is a man who has called our fallen service members "suckers" and "losers" and disparaged Medal of Honor recipients. A man who, during a previous visit to the cemetery, reportedly said of fallen service members, "I don't get it. What was in it for them? This is a man who is unable to comprehend anything other than service to himself," Harris said.
The Democratic presidential candidate emphasised that all Americans share a common belief -- to hold veterans, military families, and service members in the highest esteem.
"If there is one thing on which we as Americans can all agree, it is that our veterans, military families, and service members should be honored, never disparaged, and treated with nothing less than our highest respect and gratitude. And it is my belief that someone who cannot meet this simple, sacred duty should never again stand behind the seal of the President of the United States of America," Harris said on X.
Reiterating her stance on the soldiers, Harris said that she honours their service and sacrifice and will never politicise them.
"I will always honor the service and sacrifice of all of America's fallen heroes, who made the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of our beloved nation and our cherished freedoms. I mourn them and salute them. And I will never politicize them," the post on X read.