Spin Cycle: What Really Happened At Arlington National Cemetery?

For those who don’t spend their Sunday mornings glued to the television — and their Sunday afternoons attempting to dig through a week’s worth of network and cable news media spin — The Daily Wire has compiled a short summary of what you may have missed.

Monday marked the third anniversary of the suicide bombing at Hamid Karzai International Airport’s (HKIA) Abbey Gate — which killed 13 American service members and injured many more during the Biden-Harris administration’s chaotic and disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan. While President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris each issued a statement recognizing the date, it was former President Donald Trump who attended a wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery alongside the Gold Star families of those who were lost that day.

Shortly after the ceremony — amid criticism aimed at both Biden and Harris for failing to attend — Democrats and media talking heads attacked Trump for taking photos with the families, claiming that he was using them as campaign props. Despite multiple rebukes from the families — who had invited Trump to be there and blamed the Biden-Harris administration for the loss of their loved ones — the attacks continued. Six days later, media was still working overtime to make Trump look like the bad guy.

On ABC News’ “This Week,” host Jonathan Karl asked Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) about it — and Graham, like many of the Gold Star family members who responded, pointed out the fact that Biden and Harris were to blame for the fact that any one of them had any reason to be at Arlington in the first place.

Karl noted at the outset that the families had invited Trump to attend the ceremony, and referenced a statement from the U.S. Army criticizing the former president after an alleged incident involving a member of the cemetery staff and suggesting that Trump was conducting “political activities” during his visit to the cemetery.

“Did the campaign cross a line here?” Karl asked.

“You know, I don’t know,” Graham responded. “I’m all for looking at what happened. But you know what really is unfortunate? That these families had to go visit their fallen loved ones at Arlington due to incompetence by the Biden administration.”

After the Army defends cemetery employee over “incident” with Trump staff, Sen. Graham says, “You know what really is unfortunate? That these families had to go visit their fallen loved ones at Arlington due to incompetence by the Biden administration.” https://t.co/J0ZnR6cFDg pic.twitter.com/Z6s0WtuPvR

— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) September 1, 2024

Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-TX) was put in the same position on CBS News’ “Face the Nation,” where he was asked to weigh in on the alleged altercation at Arlington.

Gonzales noted that “veterans support Trump far and away,” adding that it was important for the former president to be there to draw attention to the 13 who were killed three years ago at Abbey Gate — and he went on to argue that he would have preferred to see President Joe Biden there as well to honor their memories.

“Arlington is a very special place…and we have to keep politics out of it,” he explained.

When asked to react to Donald Trump’s campaign altercation at Arlington National Cemetery, Texas GOP @RepTonyGonzales says, “Veterans support Trump far and away.”

He adds, “Arlington is a very special place…and we have to keep politics out of it.” pic.twitter.com/5lQtJk8QVF

— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) September 1, 2024

CNN anchor Dana Bash, fresh off last week’s interview with Democratic presidential nominee and sitting Vice President Kamala Harris, pressed Trump-ally Tulsi Gabbard to respond to the situation as well.

Gabbard, who also attended the ceremony, explained, “What I saw was a very grave a somber remembrance and honoring of those lives that were lost, and I saw President Trump spending time — at the invitation of these Gold Star families — with them, he was there for a few hours. I did not see or hear about any kind of altercation until something came out in the news.”

On @CNNSotu, former Democratic congresswoman @TulsiGabbard defends Trump’s controversial visit to Arlington National Cemetery. pic.twitter.com/xof1PXn4jJ

— State of the Union (@CNNSOTU) September 1, 2024

Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR) fielded the same questions on NBC News’ “Meet the Press” — and he immediately pushed back on anchor Kristen Welker.

“He didn’t take campaign photos there. These families — Gold Star families — whose children died due to Joe Biden and Kamala Harris’s incompetence, invited him to the cemetery, and they asked him to take those photos,” Cotton said, adding that Trump was not the only person who the families had asked to attend.

“You know who those families also invited? Joe Biden and Kamala Harris — where were they?” Cotton asked. “Joe Biden was sitting at a beach. Kamala Harris was sitting at her mansion in Washington, DC. She was four miles away — ten minutes. She could’ve gone to the cemetery and honor the sacrifice of those young men and women, but she hasn’t. She never has spoken to them or taken a meeting with them. It is because of her and Joe Biden’s incompetence that those 13 Americans were killed in Afghanistan.”

Senator @TomCottonAR SHUTS DOWN the Fake News Arlington hoax: “He didn’t take campaign photos there. These families — Gold Star families — whose children died due to Joe Biden and Kamala Harris’s incompetence, invited him to the cemetery, and they asked him to take those… pic.twitter.com/H1jvKt0XQ2

— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) September 1, 2024