The Army is also defending a female cemetery employee who they say was "abruptly pushed aside" while blocking Trump's team from filming video.
Former President Donald Trump is under fire from the Army after a political photo op in at Arlington National Cemetery. Family members of those buried in the cemetery have had different reactions to the uproar.
The press was allowed to film the former president laying a wreath at the tomb of an unknown soldier at the cemetery on Monday. Cameras also followed Trump as he laid flowers at two different gravesites in Section 60, reserved for veterans killed in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Karen Meredith's son, First Lieutenant Ken Ballard, is buried at Arlington National Cemetary in Section 60. Ballard died in 2004 in Iraq.
"He is a presidential candidate. He is not the president. He doesn't belong in Arlington for that," Meredith says. "I want him banned from Arlington."
Cheryl Jules, the aunt of Marine Sergeant Nicole Gee, who died during the withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, spoke with Inside Edition.
"Trump was our guest there. He was there for a very short time. It was just him paying respects with us," Jules says.
The Army rebuked Trump in a statement following the controversy, saying that "political activity" at the cemetery is "prohibited."
The video was used for a campaign post on TikTok.
"We didn't lose one person in 18 months and then they took over that disaster, the leaving of Afghanistan," Trump said in the video.
The Army is also defending a female cemetery employee who they say was "abruptly pushed aside" while blocking Trump's team from filming. Trump's campaign spokesman denied that anyone pushed the employee and claimed the worker was "suffering from a mental health episode."
The Army says the employee "attempted to ensure adherence to these rules" and acted with "decorum" and "professionalism." Adding, "It is unfortunate that her professionalism has been unfairly attacked."
As the race for the White House continues, Kamala Harris' stepdaughter, Ella Emhoff, is shutting down her knitting club. She held gatherings at a bar in New York City's East Village.
"Unfortunately, with everything going on right now, I'm not able to conduct this. Just to protect myself and other club members, the smartest thing is to hold off until things calm down," Emhoff said.
