Charlotte Clymer, a former service member at Arlington National Cemetery, recently voiced strong criticism of Donald Trump following an incident involving his campaign staff at the cemetery.
In a blog post published on Wednesday, Clymer recounted her time with the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, known as “the Old Guard,” and expressed her belief that Trump “cannot extend proper respect to our military.”
Arlington National Cemetery, a historic site spanning 639 acres, honors over 14,000 service members. Tensions reportedly flared when two members of Trump’s team had a heated confrontation with a cemetery official in Section 60, where soldiers fallen in Iraq and Afghanistan are interred.
Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
The altercation took place during a wreath-laying ceremony marking the third anniversary of a tragic attack on U.S. troops after their withdrawal from Afghanistan. NPR reported that the cemetery official tried to stop the filming by Trump’s staff, as only Arlington personnel are allowed to record in that area.
Clymer noted that a private photographer had been granted access and pointed out that problems arose from an unidentified individual “clearly suffering from a mental health episode” who blocked Trump’s team during the ceremony.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Trump’s spokesperson shared a screenshot of an email appearing to authorize a photographer’s presence, although details about who sent it remain unclear.
Family members of fallen service members defended Trump’s actions, stating that his team behaved with “utmost respect and dignity” and that they had approved his official videographer’s attendance.
However, they also highlighted that federal law prohibits political activities within military cemeteries, including media presence for partisan purposes, a rule that Arlington officials had communicated to all attendees.
In her blog post, Clymer acknowledged the challenging roles that cemetery officials face, especially during such solemn events. She criticized Trump for past comments, like his controversial remarks about Senator John McCain, suggesting that true respect for service members goes beyond party lines.
Clymer emphasized, “This is not a partisan issue—it’s about honor and respect for those who serve,” adding that at Arlington, politics should be left at the gate.
Her insightful comments have resonated widely, garnering over 3 million views on X as of Wednesday.