On Monday, local time, former president Donald Trump visited the graves of some of the 13 service members killed in the Kabul bombing during the 2021 US evacuation of Afghanistan.
But his visit to Arlington National Cemetery (ANC), Virginia, sparked controversy after claims of an altercation began circulating.
The US Army has now confirmed a service member was "abruptly pushed aside" by a member of Trump's team after she tried to stop the Republican camp from filming in Section 60.
So, what exactly caused the altercation and why is there so much controversy surrounding the visit?
Why was Trump at Arlington National Cemetery?
Family members of three US service members killed in the Afghanistan War withdrawal in 2021 invited Trump to attend a ceremony marking the three year anniversary.
A suicide bombing at Kabul airport killed 13 American service members and more than 170 Afghans on August 26, 2021.
Families of three slain service members said Trump knew their children's stories and blamed the Biden administration for their deaths.
The family members initially struggled to arrange Trump's visit to the cemetery, according to a spokesperson for US Representative Mike McCaul, a Texas Republican who chairs the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
While at the ceremony, Trump met the families of Staff Sergeant Darin Taylor Hoover and Sergeant Nicole Gee.
He also laid wreaths for Staff Sergeant Ryan Knauss, whose family was not present but spoke with Trump on the phone.
Allegations of filming at Section 60
Section 60 covers more than 56,000 square meters of land at Arlington National Cemetery.
US service members — mostly veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan — are buried in Section 60 and it comes under the jurisdiction of the US Army.
While people visiting the cemetery are generally allowed to take photographs and post them, rules are different for media and politicians.
Strict federal laws prohibit video or photographs for "partisan, political or fundraising purposes".
Campaign or election-related activities within army national military cemeteries are prohibited under the law.
What happened in Section 60 on Monday?
The Trump campaign was warned about not taking photographs in Section 60 before their arrival.
They "were made aware of federal laws, Army regulations and Department of Defence policies, which clearly prohibit political activities on cemetery grounds", the army said.
But despite this, it is alleged the Republican presidential candidate and his staff entered Section 60 and filmed.
A member of staff at the cemetery intervened to try and stop them from filming, but an altercation ensued and the army said she was pushed aside.
A TikTok video of the visit that was later shared by Trump shows scenes of him in Section 60 and other areas of the cemetery.
The 21-second clip also includes a voiceover of Trump blaming the Biden administration for the "disaster" of the Afghanistan withdrawal.
What has the US Army said?
The US Army says Trump was pre-warned about filming in Section 60 and that a cemetery official doing her job has been unfairly attacked because of the incident.
"An ANC employee who attempted to ensure adherence to these rules was abruptly pushed aside. Consistent with the decorum expected at ANC, this employee acted with professionalism and avoided further disruption," the army said.
The statement said the incident had been reported to the police but as the employee did not want to press charges, the matter was now considered to be closed.
"This incident was unfortunate, and it is also unfortunate that the ANC employee and her professionalism has been unfairly attacked.
"ANC is a national shrine to the honoured dead of the Armed Forces, and its dedicated staff will continue to ensure public ceremonies are conducted with the dignity and respect the nation's fallen deserve," the statement concluded.
What has Donald Trump's campaign said?
Trump's campaign has contested the allegation that a campaign staffer pushed a cemetery official.
They also claimed the Republican presidential nominee's team was granted access to have a photographer.
"This individual was the one who initiated physical contact and verbal harassment that was unwarranted and unnecessary," Trump spokesperson Steven Cheung said on Thursday.
"As the army has said, they consider this matter closed. President Trump was there to support the Gold Star families and honour the sacrifices their loved ones made. Where was Kamala Harris?"
The Trump campaign has also posted a message signed by relatives of two of the service members killed in the bombing.
The families of Staff Sergeant Darin Taylor Hoover and Sergeant Nicole Gee said they had given approval for Trump's official videographer and photographer to attend the event.
"The president and his team conducted themselves with nothing but the utmost respect and dignity for all of our service members, especially our beloved children," they added.
ABC/AP
