Trump dismisses Army's rebuke over Arlington Cemetery incident, deflects responsibility

After the U.S. Army stated on August 29, 2024 that a cemetery employee had been "abruptly pushed aside" by Trump campaign staff during his August 26 visit to Arlington National Cemetery, Trump responded in an NBC News interview that evening by disclaiming knowledge of the episode: "I don't know what the rules and regulations are. I don't know who did it. ... It could have been them. It could have been the parents. It could have been somebody." He suggested the controversy had been manufactured, saying it "was a setup by the people in the [Biden-Harris] administration." The following day, at the Moms for Liberty summit, Trump called the resulting coverage "disgusting," saying he had only agreed to be photographed with Gold Star families at their own request. The Army's statement said participants in the visit had been informed of federal law restricting political activity at the cemetery and defended the employee's "professionalism."