- RAWSTORY.COM - Raw Story - 01/09/2024 17:16

'It was your request, not mine': Trump attempts push-back on Arlington photo-op firestorm

On Sunday afternoon, Donald Trump took another stab at laying off blame for his illegal presidential campaign stunt at Arlington National Cemetery earlier in the week where he was photographed smiling and giving a thumbs-up by the graves of American war heroes.Though days have passed since the controversial meet-up with families that turned into a less than somber photo-op, Trump took to his Truth Social platform to try and put out the firestorm he created which has outraged veterans and the families of those buried at Arlington.According to the former president, he was invited by several families and it was in no way his idea to personally honor the war dead.ALSO READ: Why Trump’s Arlington controversy is actually a crimeOn Truth Social, he wrote, "I want to thank the families of our Great Warriors who have been lost to us for the way they came together as one, and thanked me for attending, at their request, the Celebration of their wonderful family members who, because of the Incompetence of Kamala Harris and Joe Biden, are no longer with us. Thank you for saying you wanted me to stand with you at Arlington National Ceremony, and take pictures, that it was your request, not mine, but it was my Great Honor to do so.""I WILL NEVER FORGET!" he added. "Lightweight V.P. Kamala Harris tried turning it around, because they weren’t there, have never spoken to the families, and have no intention to do so. In Afghanistan, you don’t take the Soldiers out first, you take the Soldiers out last. This would be Military 101, the most basic, and the “leaders” of that Disaster should be immediately fired."He then made an attempt to move on by obliquely noting the murder of six Israeli hostages taken in Gaza by adding, "We have FOOLS in the White House, and now, they are trying to solve the Hostage Crisis in Israel. Guess how that’s going to turn out?"