Speaker Johnson Intervenes for Trump at Arlington National Cemetery
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson had to step in to get former President Donald Trump into Arlington National Cemetery for the third anniversary of the Afghanistan withdrawal with Gold Star families, a family told the Daily Caller.
Arlington’s Initial Resistance
Arlington National Cemetery didn’t want to let Trump, who avoided military service, come in for what seemed like a campaign event.
Scheduling Conflicts and Restrictions
Arlington National Cemetery told Gold Star families they could only be there at a specific time that didn’t work for everyone. They were also told the president couldn’t join them at their children’s gravesites, the family told the Caller.
Political Intervention
Both Speaker Johnson and Representatives Darrell Issa and Mike McCaul were involved in this situation.
“The Speaker of the House had to get involved. Reps. Issa, Mast, and Chairman Mike McCaul were instrumental in assisting the Gold Star families. After the Speaker’s call, the situation shifted significantly. It was only three days before the ceremonies, and Arlington National Cemetery waited until the last minute to confirm key components of the event with the families.”
Collateral Damage
It’s interesting to see the collateral damage spread beyond Trump’s people and Governor Spencer Cox of Utah.
The Times reports while the Hoover family gave Trump permission to photograph, the Marckesano family did not, yet his grave “was shown in photos from the visit that were published online. A video was posted to Mr. Trump’s TikTok account featuring footage from the Section 60 visit and the gravestones from behind, with narration criticizing the handling of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.”
Afghanistan Withdrawal Facts
Here are some important facts about the Afghanistan withdrawal:
- Trump, not Biden, negotiated directly with the Taliban terrorists and excluded both the Afghan army and the US-recognized Afghan government.
- Trump, not Biden, drew down US forces from 13,000 to 2,500, making them vulnerable to attack.
- Trump, not Biden, ordered the release of 5,000 Taliban fighters from prison, one of whom would become the new leader of Afghanistan.
- Trump, not Biden, wanted to invite the Taliban leaders to Camp David on the anniversary of September 11th. Seriously.
- Trump, not Biden, agreed to a May 1st exit from Afghanistan, then bragged that he didn’t need an exit strategy.
- Trump, not Biden, refused to brief Biden’s incoming team on the situation in Afghanistan.
- Trump, not Biden, shut down every airbase in Afghanistan except one, crippling the US’s ability to extract its assets safely.
Main Questions and Answers
This section addresses common questions related to the controversy surrounding former President Donald Trump’s visit to Arlington National Cemetery.
Event Details
Here are some key details about the event:
- Who intervened to get Trump into Arlington National Cemetery? Speaker of the House Mike Johnson intervened to facilitate Trump’s visit.
- Why was there resistance to Trump’s visit? Arlington National Cemetery initially did not want to allow Trump to visit due to concerns it might be a campaign event.
- What was the occasion for Trump’s visit? The visit was for the third anniversary of the Afghanistan withdrawal with Gold Star families.
- Were there any restrictions on Gold Star families’ attendance? Yes, Gold Star families were told they could only be there for a specific time that did not work for everyone’s schedule, and Trump was not allowed to join them at their children’s gravesites.
- Who else was involved in assisting Gold Star families? Representatives Darrell Issa, Mast, and Chairman Mike McCaul were instrumental in assisting the Gold Star families.
Controversies and Criticisms
Here are some points of contention and criticism surrounding Trump’s visit:
- Why is Trump’s draft-dodging relevant to this controversy? Trump’s history of avoiding military service has been criticized, and it is seen as hypocritical for him to visit a military cemetery.
- What did the Hoover family allow regarding Trump’s visit? The Hoover family gave Trump permission to photograph their family member’s grave.
- What did the Marckesano family not allow regarding Trump’s visit? The Marckesano family did not give Trump permission to photograph their family member’s grave, yet his grave was shown in photos from the visit.
- How was Trump’s visit documented online? A video featuring footage from Section 60 and narration criticizing the handling of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021 was posted on Trump’s TikTok account.
Historical Context of Afghanistan Withdrawal
Here are some key points about the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan under Trump’s administration:
- Who negotiated directly with the Taliban? Trump negotiated directly with the Taliban, excluding both the Afghan army and the U.S.-recognized Afghan government.
- How did U.S. forces decrease under Trump? Trump drew down U.S. forces from 13,000 to 2,500, making them more vulnerable to attack.
- What action did Trump take regarding Taliban fighters? Trump ordered the release of 5,000 Taliban fighters from prison, one of whom became the new leader of Afghanistan.
- What was Trump’s plan regarding Taliban leaders? Trump wanted to invite Taliban leaders to Camp David on the anniversary of September 11th.
- What was Trump’s stance on an exit strategy for Afghanistan? Trump agreed to a May 1st exit from Afghanistan but bragged that he didn’t need an exit strategy.
- How did Trump’s actions affect U.S. operations in Afghanistan? Trump shut down every airbase in Afghanistan except one, crippling the U.S.’s ability to operate effectively.
- Did Trump brief Biden’s incoming team on Afghanistan? No, Trump refused to brief Biden’s incoming team on the situation in Afghanistan.
