SANDY — The Trump campaign is defending the former president's visit to Arlington National Cemetery and so is the Utah family who invited him.

Along with placing a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the former commander-in-chief paid his respects at the grave of Staff Sgt. Taylor Hoover, the Sandy Marine who was killed in Afghanistan. Tuesday it turned political.

The campaign posted a TikTok video showing Trump at the gravesite posing with family members and Utah Gov. Spencer Cox who also made the trip. Several campaign staff posted their own content too. And it was some of those photos, showing Trump and others at the gravesite smiling and giving a thumbs up, that offended many veterans.

"It's disrespectful. It's not Disney World. It's Arlington National Cemetery, and it should be respected as such," Paul Rieckhoff, Independent Veterans of America CEO, said.

But that's not all. The cemetery confirms there was an "altercation" between campaign and cemetery staff who tried to block campaign photographers.

However, the father of the fallen Utah marine has a much different take, and he wants to set the record straight about the former President and Cox's involvement.

Darin Hoover said this wasn't something that former President Trump or Cox sought out for their own political gain. Darin Hoover said he invited them there. He said going to Arlington or other memorials with those who support his son are his only way to make new memories of him.

Darin Hoover said he asked Trump and Cox to join him for the third anniversary of his son's death and his visit to Arlington National Cemetery. Staff Sgt. Hoover was one of 13 service members killed in a suicide bombing in Afghanistan back in 2021. When Trump and Cox showed up this week to support Darin Hoover in Arlington, he said he invited Trump's photographer and videographer to commemorate the moment.

"It's a memory. It's a memory that we can have, and if it's shared with the entire world, we're OK with that," Darin Hoover said.

Related:

Trump campaign was warned not to take photos at Arlington before altercation, defense official says

Donald Trump's campaign was warned about not taking photographs before an altercation at Arlington National Cemetery during a wreath-laying ceremony earlier this week to honor service members killed in the Afghanistan War withdrawal, a defense official told the Associated Press on Wednesday.

In his eyes, the images that went out from their moment together weren't political. It was a moment of the continued support both Trump and Cox have shown him and the families of the other fallen service members since that day.

Other family members of the fallen service members joined Darin Hoover in expressing their support for the former President and the governor. As much controversy as it's caused, it means a lot to them.

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