SALT LAKE CITY AP — Utah Governor Spencer Cox faced criticism on Wednesday for a campaign email featuring a photo of him and Donald Trump at Arlington National Cemetery. Federal law bans political activities at military cemeteries, and Arlington National Cemetery had shared this rule before the Monday ceremony.
Cox’s campaign apologized for using the photo, which was from a wreath-laying ceremony honoring Sgt. Darin Taylor Hoover, who died in Afghanistan three years ago. The email was asking for donations for Cox’s reelection campaign.
This was not a campaign event and was never meant to be used for campaign purposes, Cox said in a post on X. It did not go through the proper channels and should not have been sent.
Trump’s campaign also faced criticism after an incident involving staff and cemetery workers. The campaign was warned against taking photographs before this week’s ceremony, which honored soldiers killed during the Afghanistan War withdrawal.
Cox is likely to win reelection in November in the Republican-majority state, having defeated Trump supporter Phil Lyman in the primary. Cox recently surprised voters by supporting Trump despite earlier stating he had not voted for him in previous elections and would not vote for him this year. This shift is seen as a departure from Cox’s moderate image.
Democratic challenger Brian King criticized Cox and Trump for using a veterans’ memorial event for political purposes and called on Cox to withdraw his endorsement of Trump.