Watch: JD Vance Responds to NYT Reporter on Trump’s Arlington Visit Controversy

 

Sen. JD Vance

De Pere, WI — At a Trump-Vance 2024 campaign rally in De Pere, Wisconsin, Sen. JD Vance (R-OH) confronted a New York Times reporter over questions regarding former President Donald Trump’s visit to Arlington National Cemetery. The reporter, Mike Bender, raised concerns about the legality of Trump’s visit, given federal restrictions on political campaigns filming at grave sites.

During the rally, Vance was asked about Trump’s appearance at Arlington National Cemetery and whether the former president violated federal law by filming there. Bender highlighted that such filming is generally prohibited and questioned whether an exception could be granted for a presidential campaign.

Vance’s Response:

Vance dismissed the concerns, arguing that the real issue was not about the technicalities of federal law but about providing support to grieving families. “Mike, I think the right person to ask is the Gold Star families who invited Donald Trump and lost a loved one because of Kamala Harris’s failed policies. Were they happy to have the president of the United States there? They would say absolutely. Thank God somebody showed up,” Vance said.

Vance criticized the media for focusing on what he described as a non-issue. He emphasized that Trump’s presence at the cemetery was meant to offer emotional support rather than to exploit the site for political gain. “You guys in the media are acting like Donald Trump filmed a TV commercial at a grave site. He was there providing emotional support to a lot of brave Americans who lost loved ones. There happened to be a camera there, and somebody gave him permission to have that camera there,” Vance continued.

Vance also questioned the media’s priorities, suggesting that the focus should be on more pressing issues, such as the lack of accountability and investigation into the deaths of 13 American service members during the Biden administration. “If there is a scandal here, I cannot get over the press’s obsession with this. What is the bigger scandal? That Donald Trump was invited to stand by a grave site and accepted the invitation, or that Kamala Harris let 13 brave Americans die because she’s a failure of a leader?” Vance asserted.

Key Points:

• Sen. JD Vance defended Trump’s visit to Arlington, framing it as a gesture of support rather than a violation of federal law.
• Vance criticized the media for focusing on Trump’s visit rather than more significant issues, including the deaths of American service members.
• He suggested that Trump’s presence was approved by the families involved and questioned the broader implications of media scrutiny.

Here are the top 5 FAQs for the article:

1. What is the controversy surrounding Donald Trump’s visit to Arlington National Cemetery?

   • The controversy involves whether Trump's visit, which included filming, violated federal laws that generally prohibit political campaigns from filming at grave sites.

2. How did Sen. JD Vance respond to questions about the legality of Trump’s visit?

   • Sen. JD Vance dismissed concerns, arguing that the visit was intended to provide support to grieving families and was approved by them. He criticized the media for focusing on legal technicalities rather than on the substance of the visit.

3. What did Vance say about the media’s focus on Trump’s Arlington visit?

   • Vance criticized the media for obsessing over the visit instead of addressing more significant issues, such as the lack of accountability for the deaths of 13 American service members under the Biden administration.

4. What was the reaction of the Gold Star families to Trump’s visit, according to Vance?

   • Vance claimed that the Gold Star families were grateful for Trump’s presence and support, suggesting that their approval is more important than legal technicalities.

5. How does Vance view the broader implications of the media’s scrutiny of Trump’s visit?

   • Vance believes the media’s scrutiny is misplaced and should instead focus on more pressing issues, including the alleged failures of Kamala Harris’s leadership and the investigation into the deaths of American service members.