Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR) is once again defending former President Donald Trump’s actions at Arlington National Cemetery, specifically his decision to take photos with military families in Section 60, a restricted area of the cemetery.
During an intense interview on NBC’s *Meet the Press* on Sunday, Kristen Welker questioned Cotton about whether Trump violated the law by using the images and videos taken in the cemetery for campaign purposes. Trump had attended a wreath-laying ceremony to honor the 13 service members who lost their lives during the 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan. Among those honored was Marine Staff Sgt. Taylor Hoover, whose grave is located in Section 60. Trump posed for photos with Hoover’s family at the gravesite.
While Trump’s spokespeople insist they had permission to take photos during the visit, cemetery and defense officials have denied granting such permission. To further complicate matters, reports emerged of a physical confrontation between a cemetery staff member and Trump’s campaign staff when the latter attempted to stop the photo session. The Trump campaign has denied any physical altercation occurred.
In response to the growing controversy, Cotton took to X (formerly Twitter) last week, writing, “13 brave Americans were killed in Afghanistan three years ago because of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris’s failure to plan for a withdrawal. Good for President Trump to honor the service and sacrifice of those fallen heroes and their loved ones.”
Cotton reiterated his stance on Sunday, emphasizing that Trump’s actions were in accordance with the wishes of the Gold Star families who had lost loved ones due to the chaotic withdrawal. “He didn’t take campaign photos there. These families, Gold Star families, whose children died because of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris’s incompetence, invited him to the cemetery…They wanted President Trump there. They wanted to take those photos,” Cotton asserted.
Welker raised the issue of Master Sergeant Andrew Marckesano, another soldier buried in Section 60, whose gravestone was visible in the photos taken with the Hoovers. Following the controversy, Marckesano’s sister expressed her desire for all soldiers buried in Section 60 to be “honored and respected accordingly.” Cotton, however, stood by the Hoovers’ decision, stating, “No, Kristen, they honored the wishes of the 13 families whose children died at Abbey Gate. Those families wanted the photos. They told me yesterday that they specifically asked President Trump for the photos. Obviously, headstones at Arlington are close to each other. When you take a photo of your loved one then other headstones are going to be present as well.”
Cotton’s defense of Trump comes with a personal connection to Arlington. He served for 16 months in The Old Guard, a unit responsible for guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and other solemn duties at the cemetery. Cotton’s 2019 book *Sacred Duty* reflects on his time at Arlington, where he underscores the importance of proper conduct while visiting.
“Although a sign welcomes visitors to ‘our nation’s most sacred shrine,’ no rules are posted. Yet visitors somehow understand a proper code of conduct,” Cotton wrote in his book.
Despite these past sentiments, Cotton remains firm in his support of Trump, arguing that the former president was merely fulfilling the wishes of grieving families, not violating any sacred codes.
