Donald Trump’s campaign issued a statement from the Gold Star military families who invited him to Arlington National Cemetery as they defended the Republican presidential nominee and insisted that Vice President Kamala Harris is the candidate politicising fallen US service members.
It is the latest volley in an extended back and forth as Mr Trump tries to saddle Ms Harris with the Biden administration’s handling of the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, including a suicide bombing that killed 13 US service members.
Ms Harris on Saturday accused Mr Trump of staging a “political stunt” that “disrespected sacred ground” where many Afghanistan war dead are buried.
Mr Trump and the families of some of those killed in the bombing blame Ms Harris, as they did President Joe Biden before he ended his re-election bid, for their loved ones’ deaths.
The families say the former president was honouring their loved ones when he came to Arlington.
His campaign later distributed images of the visit despite the cemetery’s prohibition on partisan activity on the grounds.
“President Trump was invited by us, the Gold Star families, to attend the solemn ceremonies commemorating the three-year anniversary of our children’s deaths,” said the relatives’ joint statement.
“He was there to honour their sacrifice, yet Vice President Harris has disgracefully twisted this sacred moment into a political ploy.”
Gold Star families have lost a loved one in military service.
Mr Trump laid wreaths last Monday in honour of Sergeant Nicole Gee, Staff Sergeant Darin Hoover and Staff Sergeant Ryan Knauss.
They were among 13 U.S. service members and more than 100 Afghans who died in an August 26, 2021, bombing at Hamid Karzai International Airport as US forces withdrew from Afghanistan.
Mr Trump thanked the family members for their statement via social media.
“Thank you for saying you wanted me to stand with you … and take pictures, that it was your request, not mine,” he wrote.
Throughout the weekend, Mr Trump has used his social media accounts to distribute video testimonials from some relatives who signed the statement.
Christy Shamblin, Ms Gee’s mother-in-law, said in a 90-second message that Mr Trump and his aides were “respectful” and a “a comfort” to the families who gathered at Arlington.
Then she directly addressed her remarks to Ms Harris.
“Why won’t you return a call and explain how you call my daughter-in-law’s death a success?” Ms Shamblin said.
“Why would you take a day where we celebrated the deaths of our loved ones and use it to disparage not only them, but us.”
Mr Biden and first lady Jill Biden went to Dover Air Force Base in 2021 for the ceremony returning the service members’ remains to US soil.
The Bidens met privately with family members at Dover.
The Bidens were joined at the ceremony by several top aides in the administration, including Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin, then-chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley and Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
Ms Shamblin was among the several family members who also spoke at the Republican National Convention in July on Mr Trump’s behalf.
Several family members have joined Mr Trump’s running mate, Senator JD Vance of Ohio, on a conference call with media.
Mr Trump’s appearance ballooned into controversy after defence officials said his campaign was warned about not taking photographs and that there was an altercation between Trump aides and a cemetery employee.
Officials have said since that an employee whom two Trump campaign staff members allegedly “verbally abused and pushed” aside has declined to press charges.
The Trump campaign has since lashed out at Pentagon officials, with a top campaign adviser, Chris LaCivita, referring to military spokespersons as “hacks”.
Trump campaign officials say the campaign had permission to bring someone to take video.
Since Mr Biden ended his re-election bid in July, Mr Trump has been zeroing in on Ms Harris and her roles in foreign policy decisions.
He has highlighted the vice president’s statements that she was the last person in the room before Mr Biden made the decision to withdraw from Afghanistan.
Mr Biden’s administration was following a withdrawal commitment and timeline that the Trump administration had negotiated with the Taliban in 2020.
A 2022 review by a government-appointed special investigator concluded decisions made by both Mr Trump and Mr Biden were the key factors leading to the rapid collapse of Afghanistan’s military and the Taliban takeover.
Campaigning this year, Mr Trump has said that leaving was the right thing to do but that the Biden administration’s execution was poor.
“We were going to do it with dignity and strength,” he said in a recent speech in Michigan.
