Outrage as Donald Trump tries to shift blame to Gold Star families for Arlington cemetery controversy

WASHINGTON, DC: Former president Donald Trump reportedly dug himself into a deeper hole over the Arlington National Cemetery scandal, as he blamed the family members of deceased soldiers for putting out the controversial photographs on Thursday, August 29.

Trump visited the site maintained by the US Army on Monday to participate in a wreath-laying ceremony, commemorating the 13 troopers who lost their lives during the US withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. The deceased officials were laid to rest in Section 60, where filming and photography are restricted for visitors.

Campaign officials of the GOP nominee allegedly had a physical altercation with a cemetery staff who tried to prevent them from entering the area. Soon afterward, photographs were shared by the campaign showing Trump at the gravesite with family members of a deceased soldier, smiling and showing a thumbs-up gesture.

The photographs, as well as the actions of the Trump campaign officials, have earned widespread criticism online.

Donald Trump points toward Gold Star family for controversial photographs

NBC News reporter Sasha Burns questioned Trump about his recent visit to the Arlington Cemetery and using the controversial photographs for his campaign on Thursday, asking, "Should your campaign have put out those videos and photos?”

“Well, we have a lot of people, you know, we have people, TikTok people, you know, we’re leading the internet. That was the other thing. We’re so far above her (Kamala Harris) on the internet,” replied the businessman.

"But on that hallowed ground. Should that they have put out?” pressed Burns, leading Trump to double down, "I don’t know what the rules and regulations are. I don’t know who did it. And it could have been them. It could have been the parents. It could have been somebody else."

“It was your campaign’s TikTok though, that put out the video,” Burns pointed out, as Trump seemingly blamed the family who invited him for breaking the rules of the restricted area.

"I really don’t know anything about it. All I do is I stood there and I said, if you’d like to have a picture, we can have a picture if somebody did. If this was a set up by the people in the administration that, oh, Trump is coming to Arlington, that looks so bad for us,” expressed the former president.

Internet derides Donald Trump for his explanation

Netizens are furious with the former president for his statement and slammed him for not accepting responsibility for the scandal. The following tweets demonstrate the prevalent take.

"Unbelievable!!!! 🤔I truly hope that some MAGAs can explain to me what makes them think like: 'Yeah Trump's my guy'?" wrote a person.

"Of all the trolling from the Trump campaign since 2016, this has me outraged the most, only to his 'suckers and losers' comment even comes close. He’s the one of the most vile, selfish, and evil men alive in my lifetime," stated a another.

"Nothing is ever his fault. It's always someone screwing him over 🙄 Guy has stones the size of electrons," jibed a third.

"Lying POS. Everything is someone else’s fault. Weak b***h move," chided a fourth.

"He always blames others for his actions. He's always whining. That's not the kind of a leader America needs," echoed yet another.

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.