Fact Check: Photos of Trump Smiling and Giving Thumbs-Up Over Soldiers' Graves Are Real
Claim:
Two different photographs authentically show former U.S. President Donald Trump giving a thumbs-up and smiling while posing next to the graves of fallen Marines in Arlington National Cemetery.
Rating:
Context:
In the photographs, Trump was standing alongside the fallen Marines' family members, some of whom were smiling and giving a thumbs-up themselves.
In August 2024, a pair of photographs shared online purported to show former U.S. President Donald Trump standing at the graves of fallen soldiers while smiling and giving a thumbs-up. The images appeared to have been taken when Trump visited Arlington National Cemetery on Aug. 26 to honor U.S. Marines who were killed in a 2021 suicide bombing at the Kabul airport during the U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan. Thirteen American soldiers died alongside more than 100 Afghans.
An anti-Trump X account posted (archived) one of the images, which showed Trump standing next to the grave of Sgt. Nicole Leeann Gee and was captioned, "Smiling thumbs up over the graves of soldiers is beyond disgusting." Another account's post (archived) showed Trump posing in similar fashion next to the grave of Staff Sgt. Darin Taylor Hoover.
Smiling thumbs up over the graves of soldiers is beyond disgusting pic.twitter.com/HdIbGCGSF8
— Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) August 26, 2024
I have no words to describe the disgust and anger I feel seeing Donald Trump smile and give the thumbs up next to the grave of one of our fallen heroes https://t.co/jrHn1VGmwI pic.twitter.com/SdXLqavQqS
— Tom (@Lawmadillo) August 26, 2024
The above photographs are authentic and were originally shared on X by the official accounts of Utah Gov. Spencer Cox and people affiliated with the Trump campaign. As such, this claim is rated "True."
The first photograph was shared on Aug. 26 by Corey Lewandowski, who was Trump's campaign manager in 2016 and who returned to consult for the Trump presidential campaign for 2024.
Lewandowski wrote on X: "President @realDonaldTrump visiting @ArlingtonNatl Cemetery this morning to lay wreaths with Gold Star families at the graves of our brave men & women who lost their lives 3 years ago today during the disastrous Afghanistan withdraw in 2021. Pictured with the family of Sgt. Nicole Leeann Gee."
https://x.com/CLewandowski_/status/1828074919713706423
The second photograph was shared by Cox, who was also in the picture with Trump, though Cox did not give a thumbs-up. Other people in the photograph did, however, join Trump in smiling and making a thumbs-up in front of the camera.
Cox wrote on Facebook:
There is no greater sacrifice than giving one's life in defense of our country. It was my solemn privilege to stand alongside the family of Staff Sgt. Darin Taylor Hoover at Arlington National Cemetery today as we paid tribute to his legacy and the 12 others who lost their lives three years ago at Abbey Gate in Afghanistan.
https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=1055811452569641&set=pcb.1055811565902963
Two of Gee's family members spoke in support of Trump at the Republican National Convention in July 2024. Christy Shamblin, Gee's mother-in-law said, "While Joe Biden has refused to recognize their sacrifice, Donald Trump spent six hours in Bedminster with us. He allowed us to grieve. He allowed us to remember our heroes. Donald Trump knew all of our children's names. He knew their stories and he spoke to us in a way that made us feel understood, like he knew our kids."
Trump's visit to Arlington National Cemetery generated some controversy when reports emerged that Trump's staff had some sort of altercation with a cemetery official. According to an unnamed source speaking to NPR, the official tried to stop Trump's staffers from taking video and photographs in a part of the cemetery designated for the burial of recent U.S. casualties.
In a statement, Arlington officials said only cemetery staff members were authorized to take photographs or film, and a "report was filed" about the incident:
Federal law prohibits political campaign or election-related activities within Army National Military Cemeteries, to include photographers, content creators or any other persons attending for purposes, or in direct support of a partisan political candidate's campaign … Arlington National Cemetery reinforced and widely shared this law and its prohibitions with all participants.
Trump spokesperson Steven Cheung said no physical altercation took place. "We are prepared to release footage if such defamatory claims are made," he told NPR. "The fact is that a private photographer was permitted on the premises and for whatever reason an unnamed individual, clearly suffering from a mental health episode, decided to physically block members of President Trump's team during a very solemn ceremony."
Photographs in Getty Images' archive show Trump participating in a wreath-laying ceremony at the cemetery that same day, alongside retired Marines who were injured during the 2021 Kabul airport bombing. Former U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard also was present at that ceremony.
We have covered previous controversial claims around Trump's attitude toward U.S. soldiers, including one in which he allegedly called fallen soldiers "suckers" and "losers," a claim we were unable to independently verify.
Sources:
Allison, Natalie. "Former Trump Campaign Manager Corey Lewandowski Is Back." Politico, 21 May 2024, https://www.politico.com/news/2024/05/21/corey-lewandowski-trump-rnc-00159260." target="blank">https://www.politico.com/news/2024/05/21/corey-lewandowski-trump-rnc-00159260.">https://www.politico.com/news/2024/05/21/corey-lewandowski-trump-rnc-00159260. Accessed 28 Aug. 2024.
"Donald Trump Visits Arlington Cemetery to Pay Tribute to the 13..." Getty Images, 26 Aug. 2024, https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/donald-trump-visits-arlington-cemetery-to-pay-tribute-to-news-photo/2167840374." target="blank">https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/donald-trump-visits-arlington-cemetery-to-pay-tribute-to-news-photo/2167840374.">https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/donald-trump-visits-arlington-cemetery-to-pay-tribute-to-news-photo/2167840374. Accessed 28 Aug. 2024.
"Family Members of Fallen Roseville Marine Sgt. Nicole Gee Speak in Support of Donald Trump at RNC." KCRA, 18 July 2024. https://www.kcra.com/article/roseville-marine-sgt-nicole-gee-gold-star-family-members-donald-trump-rnc/61637119. Accessed 28 Aug. 2024.
Fiallo, Josh. "Trump Flashes 'Unusual' Thumbs Up and Smile at Graves of Fallen Marines." The Daily Beast, 26 Aug. 2024. www.thedailybeast.com, https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-flashes-a-thumbs-up-and-smile-in-photo-at-graves-of-fallen-marines." target="blank">https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-flashes-a-thumbs-up-and-smile-in-photo-at-graves-of-fallen-marines.">https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-flashes-a-thumbs-up-and-smile-in-photo-at-graves-of-fallen-marines. Accessed 28 Aug. 2024.
"Former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard Arrives to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier..." Getty Images, 26 Aug. 2024, https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/former-rep-tulsi-gabbard-arrives-to-the-tomb-of-the-unknown-news-photo/2168622133." target="blank">https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/former-rep-tulsi-gabbard-arrives-to-the-tomb-of-the-unknown-news-photo/2168622133.">https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/former-rep-tulsi-gabbard-arrives-to-the-tomb-of-the-unknown-news-photo/2168622133. Accessed 28 Aug. 2024.
Ibrahim, Nur. "Trump Really Said Fallen US Soldiers Were 'Suckers' and 'Losers'?" Snopes, 18 Apr. 2024, https://www.snopes.com//news/2024/04/18/trump-soldiers-suckers-losers/." target="blank">https://www.snopes.com//news/2024/04/18/trump-soldiers-suckers-losers/.">https://www.snopes.com//news/2024/04/18/trump-soldiers-suckers-losers/. Accessed 28 Aug. 2024.
Lawrence, Quil. "Trump Campaign Staff Had Altercation with Official at Arlington National Cemetery." NPR, 27 Aug. 2024. NPR, https://www.npr.org/2024/08/27/nx-s1-5091154/trump-arlington-cemetery." target="blank">https://www.npr.org/2024/08/27/nx-s1-5091154/trump-arlington-cemetery.">https://www.npr.org/2024/08/27/nx-s1-5091154/trump-arlington-cemetery. Accessed 28 Aug. 2024.
"Republican Presidential Nominee, Former U.S. President Donald Trump..." Getty Images, 26 Aug. 2024, https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/republican-presidential-nominee-former-u-s-president-donald-news-photo/2168584133." target="blank">https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/republican-presidential-nominee-former-u-s-president-donald-news-photo/2168584133.">https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/republican-presidential-nominee-former-u-s-president-donald-news-photo/2168584133. Accessed 28 Aug. 2024.
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