(PatriotNews.net) – Army 1st Lt. Jimmy McCain, son of the late Sen. John McCain, recently criticized former President Donald Trump for visiting Arlington National Cemetery, accusing him of disrespecting the site by making it political.
During an interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper, McCain expressed his frustration with Trump’s visit to honor the 13 U.S. service members killed during the 2021 Abbey Gate bombing in Afghanistan. McCain called the visit a “violation” and explained that Arlington is a place for respect, not politics. “The people buried at Arlington don’t have an opinion,” McCain said. “The purpose of the cemetery is to honor those who served, not to turn it into a political stage.”
McCain’s frustration stems from what he sees as Trump’s use of the cemetery to further his own agenda. He emphasized the importance of respecting those who gave their lives for the country, noting that Arlington holds a special place for his family. Three generations of McCains are buried there. “It’s sacred ground,” he added, “and when you make it political, you take away from that respect.”
Interestingly, Tapper pointed out that McCain’s own father had once used footage of Arlington in a campaign ad back in 1999. The younger McCain admitted that his father had made a mistake but took responsibility for it by pulling the footage from the ad after the Army said it violated their rules. “My father realized the solemn nature of Arlington and removed the footage. If Trump did the same and apologized, it would be the right thing,” McCain said.
Trump’s visit also caused a stir when NPR reported that his campaign team got into a verbal and physical argument with a cemetery official while filming in Section 60, a restricted area. Trump’s spokesman, Steven Cheung, dismissed the claim, saying a private photographer had permission to be there.
Vice President Kamala Harris later called Trump’s visit a “political stunt,” but Trump fired back, releasing videos from families of the fallen soldiers, accusing Harris of playing politics.
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