In a social media post on Saturday, Harris criticized Trump for what she described as a “disrespectful political stunt” on sacred ground.
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The controversy arose after the U.S. Army reported that a Trump staffer “abruptly pushed aside” a cemetery employee who attempted to enforce the cemetery’s no-filming rules.
The incident occurred on Monday during an event commemorating the 13 U.S. service members who died during the withdrawal from Afghanistan three years ago.
This marks the first time Harris, who is the Democratic nominee for president, has publicly addressed the controversy. She emphasized that she has visited Arlington National Cemetery multiple times as vice-president and would never exploit the site for political purposes.
“If there is one thing on which we as Americans can all agree, it is that our veterans, military families, and service members should be honoured, never disparaged, and treated with nothing less than our highest respect and gratitude,” Ms Harris said.
“And it is my belief that someone who cannot meet this simple, sacred duty should never again stand behind the seal of the President of the United States of America.”
At a campaign rally in Michigan on Thursday, Trump hit back at those who had criticised him over the incident.
He said he had been asked to pose for a photo at the site after the memorial by family members of the soldiers who had died.
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“I go there, they ask me to have a picture and they say I was campaigning,” Trump said. “The one thing I get plenty of is publicity. I don’t need that. I don’t need the publicity.”
Trump’s running mate JD Vance used the controversy to attack the Biden administration over its handling of the 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan, saying that Ms Harris “can go to hell”.
“Three years ago, 13 brave, innocent Americans died, and they died because Kamala Harris refused to do her job,” Mr Vance said on Wednesday in response to questions from BBC’s US partner, CBS News.
NPR reported earlier that two members of Trump’s campaign staff verbally abused and pushed the cemetery worker aside when she tried to intervene.
Federal law prevents use of the cemetery for political campaigning and the US Army said participants were warned of the rules in advance.
A US Army spokesperson said on Thursday that “the incident was unfortunate, and it is also unfortunate that the ANC employee and her professionalism has been unfairly attacked.”
The Trump campaign has denied that a physical altercation took place at the cemetery, adding “we are prepared to release footage if such defamatory claims are made”.
House Democrats have since asked the US Army for a report into the incident, asking for a “full account” of what happened.
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