Army defends Arlington National Cemetery staff after incident with Trump campaign

The Army said Thursday that an Arlington National Cemetery official was “wrongfully targeted” over an incident this week related to the Trump campaign. The incident involved a visit by the former president and family members of a soldier.

The Trump campaign team shot a video of former President Donald Trump at the cemetery where he attended a memorial service for 13 American soldiers who died at Kabul airport three years ago during the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.

He accompanied some family members to a grave area of ​​the cemetery known as Section 60, where video was shot after a brief standoff between a Trump aide and the cemetery worker. Army regulations and Department of Defense policies prohibit political activity on cemetery grounds.

To follow the latest developments in Congress, follow WTOP Capitol Hill correspondent Mitchell Miller at Today on the Hill.

An army statement said a cemetery worker “who attempted to enforce compliance with these rules was abruptly pushed aside.”

The Army said the employee “acted professionally and avoided further disruption.”

She reported the incident to the military police, but later decided not to file a complaint.

“The incident was unfortunate and it is also unfortunate that the ANC employee and her professionalism were unfairly attacked,” the army said in a statement. The matter is now considered closed.

The Trump team released a statement earlier this week contradicting reports that a physical altercation had occurred.

Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung had previously stated that an individual “who clearly suffered from a mental disorder decided to physically confront members of President Trump's team during a very solemn ceremony.”

The incident was first reported by NPR.

According to the campaign, family members of soldiers also invited him to accompany them to a grave.

The Trump campaign team released a TikTok video of the former president at the cemetery, sparking widespread criticism.

“It is sad but all too predictable that Donald Trump would desecrate this sacred ground and put campaign politics above honoring our heroes,” Democratic Rep. Gerry Connolly of Virginia said in a statement released Wednesday.

Connolly had also asked Arlington National Cemetery to release details of the incident involving the former president.

Republican U.S. Senator JD Vance of Ohio, Trump's running mate, said Wednesday that Vice President Kamala Harris could “go to hell” over the Biden administration's handling of the 2021 Afghanistan withdrawal.

His comment was in response to a reporter's question about the events at Arlington National Cemetery.

Vance accused Harris of criticizing the former president's cemetery visit, but she had no comment on the matter on Wednesday.

Utah Governor Spencer Cox, who was also at the cemetery on Monday, faced criticism after sending a campaign email that showed a photo of him and Trump at the memorial service.

The Cox team has apologized for the use of the photo.

A graveside ceremony honored Sergeant Darin Taylor Hoover of Utah, one of the 13 soldiers killed in the airport bombing.

“This was not a campaign event and was never intended to be used by the campaign,” the governor wrote on the social media platform X.

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